[Interferon in the treatment of acute viral hepatitis B]

The Soviet leukocytic alpha 2-interferon obtained by gene engineering was assessed (according to the clinical and biochemical findings) for the therapeutic efficacy in acute viral hepatitis B. The drug was injected intramuscularly to patients with grave and medium-grave hepatitis during 10 days. The treatment was instituted within the first 1-5 days of jaundice. The patients with medium-grave acute viral hepatitis B manifested a beneficial therapeutic effect of alpha 2-interferon obtained by gene engineering as did the patients with the grave disease pattern before they developed the signs of liver encephalopathy.