Human lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis B virus carriers

alpha-Interferon and beta-interferon have been used therapeutically in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for more than a decade. It is now clear that alpha-interferons are an effective therapy for a proportion of chronic HBV carriers. A course of at least three, and possibly as long as 4 months is required at a dose of 5-10 MU three times a week. Those responding to therapy usually develop a marked hepatitis in the second and third months of therapy, which precedes permanent loss of markers of viral replication. In a proportion of patients, not only are HBe antigen and HBV DNA cleared from serum, but HBsAg may also be cleared, albeit over a longer time course; anti-HBs develops in a few of these patients. Although close to being an established form of therapy for chronic HBV infection, the responsive subgroups remain to be defined. Studies over the next few years will be directed at identifying those groups responsive, or not responsive, to alpha-interferons and thereafter seeking other antiviral agents that could be used in combination with alpha-interferon to augment the response rate.