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Hepatitis B virus infection and renal transplantation
Author(s) -
Garcia Gabriel,
Hollinger F. Blaine
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840080539
Subject(s) - virology , medicine , hepatitis virus , hepatitis b virus , transplantation , liver transplantation , kidney transplantation , virus
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may induce severe hepatitis and affect long‐term survival of kidney transplant recipients. Persistent viral infection has been shown to occur despite the absence of usual serologic markers. The liver and serum HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) status of 90 patients were studied prospectively; recently transplanted patients, both hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)‐positive and negative, with and without liver disease, were investigated with HBV serology, serum HBV DNA, and liver histology. Thirty‐four patients had detectable HBsAg, and 21 had viral multiplication at the time of transplantation. Serial HBV DNA determinations performed in 57 of 90 patients disclosed (a) reactivation of HBV replication in 11 of 12 HBsAg‐positive patients, (b) increase of viral replication when positive on the initial sample in 6 of 11 patients, and (c) development of HBV replication in 7 of 35 of the HBsAg‐negative patients. Moreover, liver HBV DNA studies showed a statistical correlation between the presence of integrated liver HBV DNA and chronic hepatitis in HBsAg‐negative patients. This study demonstrates prospectively the significant association of HBsAg‐positive as well as HBsAg‐negative HBV infection with chronic hepatitis and suggests that immuno‐suppressive therapy may enhance the viral replication in both HBsAg‐positive and negative subjects.