Interferon therapy for flare-up of hepatitis B virus infection after emergence of lamivudine-induced YMDD motif mutant

J Gastroenterol. 2001 Feb;36(2):133-6. doi: 10.1007/s005350170143.

Abstract

A 61-year-old man with chronic hepatitis B was treated with interferon (IFN)-alpha for flare-up after the emergence of a lamivudine-induced YMDD motif mutant. The YMDD mutant emerged 13 months after the initiation of lamivudine therapy. Despite this, lamivudine therapy was continued. Acute exacerbation occurred 25 months after the emergence of the YMDD mutant. Treatment with IFN-alpha resulted in rapid loss of hepatitis, B virus DNA, resolution of hepatitis, and clinical recovery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial / genetics
  • Hepatitis B virus / drug effects*
  • Hepatitis B virus / genetics*
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / virology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Lamivudine / pharmacology*
  • Lamivudine / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Lamivudine