Abstract
Alpha interferon therapy in patients with chronic delta hepatitis treatment was associated with a decrease in serum aminotransferase activities and disappearance or decrease in serum levels of HDV RNA. Serum biochemical and serological changes were associated with amelioration of hepatic injury and a decrease (but not a disappearance) in hepatic HDAg on liver biopsy. Two cases lost HBsAg during therapy, only one of whom had lost hepatic HDAg entirely at the end of therapy. Interestingly, a decrease in HDV replication was associated with an apparent increase in HBV replication in some cases.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Antigens, Viral / isolation & purification
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Female
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Hepatitis D / microbiology
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Hepatitis D / pathology
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Hepatitis D / therapy*
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Hepatitis Delta Virus / immunology
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Hepatitis Delta Virus / isolation & purification
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Hepatitis Delta Virus / physiology
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Hepatitis delta Antigens
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Hepatitis, Chronic / microbiology
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Hepatitis, Chronic / pathology
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Hepatitis, Chronic / therapy*
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Humans
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Interferon alpha-2
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Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
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Liver / microbiology
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Liver / pathology
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Recombinant Proteins
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Time Factors
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Virus Replication
Substances
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Antigens, Viral
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Hepatitis delta Antigens
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Interferon alpha-2
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Interferon-alpha
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Recombinant Proteins
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hepatitis delta virus large antigen