[Lamivudine and alpha-IFN treatment of a severe case of acute hepatitis B].

In order to enhance the viral clearance we used a combined antiviral therapy in an 18 year old patient, hospitalized in the Infectious Diseases Hospital-Iaşi, in June 2002. The evolution under standard therapy was unsatisfactory, with the aggravation of the icteric syndrome and a constant cytolytic syndrome. At this point we used the combination of Lamivudine (Zeffix) 100 mg/24 h + alpha-IFN 3 milUI x 3/week for the duration of 8 weeks. The improvement in both clinical and biochemical condition of the patient was obvious. At the end of the treatment (8 weeks) none of the signs or symptoms were present, the patient became AgHBs negative, AgHBe negative and anti-HBe positive. The combined antiviral therapy was useful (with the clearance of the HBs antigen) in a severe case of acute hepatitis B.