title: Severe acute hepatitis B treated with entecavir.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection constitutes a serious global health problem. Nowadays there are divergent data regarding the use of antiviral drugs to treat acute hepatitis B. We present here a case of a 62-year-old man affected by severe acute hepatitis B with progressive worsening of clinical and hepatic function. The patient was treated with entecavir without critical side effects. We observed rapid clinical and laboratory improvements and the disappearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The treatment with entecavir was protracted until 17(th) week when the antibody anti-HBs appeared. Entecavir should be carefully considered for the treatment of severe acute hepatitis B cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases "Santa Maria della Misericordia" Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe Vittorio Luigi
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: De Socio
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sgrelli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tosti
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baldelli