[HBs-antigen-positive chronic aggressive hepatitis]

In the treatment of HBs-Ag positive, chronic aggressive hepatitis three therapeutic methods can principally be applied: immunosuppression, immunostimulation and an attempt at medicamentous inhibition of the virus propagation. According to the present view, the immunosuppressive treatment with glucocorticoids and azathioprine is very risky in the antigen positive form and doubtful as far as the application is concerned; it simply suppresses the defensive reaction of the organism, thus encouraging the virus replication. In individual cases remissions could be achieved by immuno-stimulation with BCG vaccine or cell wall preparations of the Propionibacterium granulosum, or by an abrupt discontinuation of an immunosuppression. Neither has the virostatic treatment with vidarabin and its monophosphatester , which was introduced in the last few years, brought any new breakthroughs. Under treatment it is mostly possible to block the virus propagation, however, after discontinuation relapses are usually the rule and lasting therapeutic successes the exception to the rule.