Immunological changes upon the discontinuation of Hepatitis B antiviral therapy

MACHTELD VAN DEN BERG

Publication

Immunological changes upon the discontinuation of Hepatitis B antiviral therapy

MACHTELD VAN DEN BERG

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepatotropic, non-cytopathic DNA virus that can cause acute or chronic hepatitis. Chronic HBV is commonly transmitted vertically and many patients must engage in long term drug therapy. The long term effects of medical drug therapy are unclear. As a result, there is a need for a clinical detection method which will identify the patients who can safely stop their drug therapy. The aim of this study is to establish an immune profile associated with the development of chronicity and elevated aminotransferase (ALT) levels in response to treatment discontinuation. It is predicted that the adaptive immune response plays a crucial role in determining the development of chronicity versus viral clearance. Both a potent CD4+ t-cell and CD8+ t-cell response is needed. By establishing the type of immune profile associated with the patients who do not develop a hepatic flare upon therapy discontinuation, we will be better able to predict which patients can safely discontinue their treatment.