Treatment of HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis with human fibroblast interferon

Two patients with HBsAg positive chronic active hepatitis have been treated with human fibroblast interferon 10(7) units daily for two weeks. Before treatment, both patients had high levels of hepatitis B surface antigen, core antibody, and DNA-binding antibody in the blood and one patient had a fourfold rise in serum AST. During treatment there was a striking fall in the core antibody titre and also in the DNA-binding antibody, which has been maintained for several months subsequently; in one patient the initially high AST level fell to normal. No significant adverse effects occurred, and these observations should encourage further trials of fibroblasts interferon in hepatitis B.