Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can still be found within the hepatocytes after its clearance and the control of viral replication depends on the immune response. However during immunosuppression, seroconversion of HBsAg has been described followed by disease reactivation. Hepatitis B virus reactivation represents an emerging cause of liver disease in patients undergoing treatment with biologic agents and in particular, by the use of rituximab (anti-CD20) and alemtuzumab (anti-CD52) that cause profound and long-lasting immunosuppression. We describe a case of a 64-year old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis and resolved HBV infection, who experienced a severe hepatitis B reactivation after the administration of rituximab.
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Gastroenterology
February 2025
Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Veterans Affairs Northeast Ohio Health Care System, Cleveland, Ohio; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Background & Aims: Hepatitis B reactivation (HBVr) can occur due to a variety of immune-modulating exposures, including multiple drug classes and disease states. Antiviral prophylaxis can be effective in mitigating the risk of HBVr. In select cases, clinical monitoring without antiviral prophylaxis is sufficient for managing the risk of HBVr.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses
December 2024
School of Medicine, Tzuchi University, Hualien 970, Taiwan.
Background: Psoriasis patients who are seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) face an elevated risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) when treated with cytokine inhibitors. This study aims to elucidate the risk in this population.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess the risk of HBVr in 73 psoriasis patients treated with cytokine inhibitors from 2013 to 2023.
Viruses
December 2024
Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy.
The effects of a concomitant infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are still debated, with a recognized major risk of HBV reactivation during immune-suppressive treatments. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of HBV reactivation in a cohort of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and a current or past hepatitis B infection. In a monocentric retrospective observational study, we enrolled all consecutive hospital admitted patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and a positive HBV serology (N = 84) in our Infectious Diseases Unit from April 2021 to December 2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathogens
December 2024
Department and Institute of Infectious Disease, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China.
Due to the lack of agents that directly target covalently closed circular DNA and integrated HBV DNA in hepatocytes, achieving a complete cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains challenging. The latest guidelines recommend (hepatitis B surface antigen) HBsAg loss as the ideal treatment target for improving liver function, histopathology, and long-term prognosis. However, even after HBsAg loss, hepatitis B virus can persist, with a risk of recurrence, reactivation, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomolecules
January 2025
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major global health issue, with an estimated 254 million people living with chronic HBV infection worldwide as of 2022. Chronic HBV infection is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Current treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogs is effective in the suppression of viral activity but generally requires lifelong treatment.
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