Frontiers in Medicine (Oct 2024)

A case report: cccDNA and pgRNA remain positive in liver tissue in a chronic hepatitis B patient with functional cure

  • Wenxiong Xu,
  • Wenxiong Xu,
  • Qiumin Luo,
  • Qiumin Luo,
  • Yeqiong Zhang,
  • Yeqiong Zhang,
  • Chan Xie,
  • Chan Xie,
  • Liang Peng,
  • Liang Peng,
  • Liang Peng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1427043
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance is recommended as the ideal endpoint for nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) treatments. Functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is defined as having undetectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid and serum HBsAg. We report a functional cure case of CHB with a family history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after long-term NA therapy. Despite achieving functional cure for over 7 years, both HBV covalently closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid (cccDNA) and pregenomic ribonucleic acid (pgRNA) remain positive in the liver tissue of the patient, indicating that a sterilizing cure has not been achieved. This case highlights the importance of active surveillance of HBV cccDNA and pgRNA for sterilizing the cure and risk of HCC.

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