The study included 39 patients with chronic HBeAg and DNA HBV-positive hepatitis B. 18 patients received combined therapy with prednisolone and recombinant interferon. Pretreatment investigations involved assessment of the basic virus replication by HBeAg, IgM anti-HBc, RPSHA titers, of DNA HBV concentration, alanine aminotransferase activity. The serum was examined for antibodies to alpha 2-interferon using enzyme immunoassay. The treatment resulted in disappearance of HBeAg in 70.6% of the examinees, DNA HBV in 66.6% of them. AlAT activity returned to normal in 58.8% of the patients. HBeAg and HBsAg were not registered in 5.6% of the patients. In 2 out of 4 nonresponders antibodies to alpha 2-interferon were absent. It is shown serologically that patients with initially low HBeAg, DNA HBV, high activity of AlAT, high titers IgM anti-HBc, no antibodies to alpha 2-interferon have the most favourable prognosis of the hepatitis.