INVESTIGADORES
MATHET Veronica Lidia
artículos
Título:
Successful Interferon treatment in a patient chronically infected with Hepatitis B virus carrying unusual S- (and P-) mutants in presence of anti-HBs antibodies.
Autor/es:
FRIDER, B; ALESSIO, A; POZZATI, M; CUESTAS; ML; MATHET, V; OUBIÑA, JR
Revista:
Liver International
Editorial:
Blackwell Munksgaard
Referencias:
Lugar: Oxford, UK; Año: 2007 vol. 27 p. 727 - 730
ISSN:
1478-3223
Resumen:
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) immune escape mutants with point mutations within the S genemay arise during the natural course of HBV infection, due to a positive selectionpressure exerted by the host immune response.Mutations within the immunodominant B and T cell epitopes of hepatitis B surfaceantigen (HBsAg), allow the resulting S-mutants to propagate even in presence ofneutralizing anti-HBs antibodies and the HBV specific T-cell immune response.We report a 43 yr-old male chronically infected with a genotype A HBV strain, with cocirculation of both HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies, who received treatment with 120 Bgof Peg-IFN for 24 weeks. HBeAg seroconversion and clearance of both HBV DNA byPCR and HBsAg were successfully achieved. Improved histology was observed in abiopsy performed 44 wks after Peg-IFN therapy was ended. It seems plausible that theascribed genotype A could have contributed to the effective response to Peg-IFN, eventhough the treatment was provided only throughout a 24-wk period.To our knowledge this is the first report regarding the successful results obtained byusing Peg-IFN as treatment for a chronically HBV infected patient carrying HBsAgimmune escape mutants.