Dynamics of the Immune Response in Acute Hepatitis B Infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute hepatitis B virus infection in adults is generally self-limiting but may lead to chronicity in a minority of patients.

Methods

We included 9 patients with acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and collected longitudinal follow-up samples. Natural killer (NK) cell characteristics were analyzed by flowcytometry. HBV-specific T-cell function was analyzed by in vitro stimulation with HBV peptide pools and intracellular cytokine staining.

Results

Median baseline HBV DNA load was 5.12 log IU/mL, and median ALT was 2652 U/mL. Of 9 patients, 8 cleared HBsAg within 6 months whereas 1 patient became chronically infected. Early time points after infection showed increased CD56^bright NK cells and an increased proportion of cells expressing activation

SUBMITTER: Stelma F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5739046 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature