Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases (Jan 2011)
Severe Acute Hepatitis B Treated with Entecavir
Abstract
<pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection constitutes a serious global health problem. </span></pre><pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">Nowadays there are divergent data regarding the use of antiviral drugs to treat acute hepatitis B. </span></pre><pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">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. </span></pre><pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">The patient was treated with entecavir without critical side effects. </span></pre><pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">We observed rapid clinical and laboratory improvements and the disappearance of surface antigen (HBsAg). </span></pre><pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">The treatment with entecavir was protracted until 17<sup>th</sup> week when the antibody antiHBs (anti HBs) appeared. </span></pre><pre style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: " lang="EN-GB">Entecavir should be carefully considered for the treatment of severe acute hepatitis B cases.</span></pre>