[Persistence of hepatitis B virus in children after interferon-alpha therapy despite the seroconversion in HBsAg/anti-HBs system].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to assess: (1) whether seroconversion to IgG anti-HBs, induced by IFN-alpha therapy in children with chronic active hepatitis B, is maintained 4-10 years after treatment; and (2) whether HBV-DNA is present in circulation despite the synthesis of anti-HBs.


METHODS
Serum samples were collected from 38 patients and serological markers of HBV were determined in each of them. HBV-DNA was determined by PCR in anti-HBs positive sera. Serum samples obtained from 19 subjects with a complete spontaneous seroconversion after acute HBV served as controls.


RESULTS
Four to 10 years after therapy, anti-HBs were present in ca. 97.4% patients with GMT value of 775 IU/L vs 127 IU/L found in controls. HBsAg was found in 2/38 subjects. In 13 out of 37 patients (35.1%) free and/or bound HBV-DNA was present.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that seroconversion induced by IFN-alpha may not be a sustained phenomenon. HBV-DNA may persist for a long time after therapy despite the anti-HBs synthesis.
Gregorek
Hanna
H
Zakład Mikrobiologii i Immunologii Klinicznej, Instytut-Pomnik Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka w Warszawie. hgreg@czd.waw.pl
Dzierzanowska-Fangrat
Katarzyna
K
Woynarowski
Marek
M
Jóźwiak
Paulina
P
Witkowska-Vogtt
Ewa
E
Wojda
Urszula
U
Syczewska
Małgorzata
M
Socha
Jerzy
J
Madalińiski
Kazimierz
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha