title: Temporary HBV resolution in an HIV-coinfected patient during HBV-directed combination therapy followed by relapse of HBV.
abstract: Coinfection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV is common due to overlapping routes of transmission accompanied by an increased risk for liver-related mortality. We report the case of a chronically infected hepatitis Be antigen positive patient, coinfected with HIV (CD4+ T-cell count > 500 cells/microl), with histological evidence of advanced liver disease. The patient developed anti-HBs (antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg]) seroconversion, a strong reduction of intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA and a marked improvement of liver histology after 24 weeks of HBV-targeted combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil and pegylated interferon-alpha2b followed by another 12 weeks of adefovir dipivoxil monotherapy. Antiviral therapy was stopped after the development of stable anti-HBs titres, and anti-HBs titres remained stable for additional 9 months post-treatment. A continuous decline of anti-HBs was observed during the next 6 months until anti-HBs disappeared despite a stable HIV infection. A triple course of therapeutic vaccination failed to re-establish anti-HBs antibodies, but reappearance of HBV DNA and HBsAg was detected. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot analyses, HBV-directed T-cell responses clearly increased during antiviral combination therapy followed by a reduction to pre-treatment levels in association with disappearance of anti-HBs antibodies despite therapeutic vaccination. The presented case highlights the volatile nature of chronic HBV infection even after a prolonged disease-free period in the setting of an underlying HIV coinfection in a patient with a stable and relatively high CD4+ T-cell count but nevertheless impaired immune system and calls for further investigation of probably temporary immunomodulatory effects of interferon-alpha and/or nucleoside analogues in immunocompromised patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wursthorn
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buggisch
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lutgehetmann
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zollner
authors.forename: Jorg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petersen
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D063065:Organophosphonates; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; D000225:Adenine; C106812:adefovir dipivoxil