Severe reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection in a patient with hairy cell leukemia: Should lamivudine prophylaxis be recommended to HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive patients?

Infection. 2006 Oct;34(5):282-4. doi: 10.1007/s15010-006-4150-8.

Abstract

The reverse seroconversion to hepatitis B virus infection has been sporadically described in onco-haematological patients receiving cytotoxic therapy or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and can be associated with the development of acute icteric hepatitis. We present a male HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive patient with Hairy Cell Leukemia who developed acute B hepatitis more than 1 year after the last course of 2-CdA and 6 months after splenectomy, while the patient was receiving therapy with alphaIFNr. The acute B hepatitis promptly responded to lamivudine therapy followed by viral clearance.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • Hepatitis B / prevention & control*
  • Hepatitis B Antibodies / blood*
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens / immunology*
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / blood*
  • Hepatitis B virus / drug effects
  • Hepatitis B virus / physiology
  • Humans
  • Lamivudine / therapeutic use*
  • Leukemia, Hairy Cell / virology*
  • Male
  • Virus Activation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • DNA, Viral
  • Hepatitis B Antibodies
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
  • Lamivudine