Investigation into withdrawal of entecavir after 20 months in an HBsAb-positive patient who received HBsAg allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Genet Mol Res. 2015 Dec 22;14(4):17966-71. doi: 10.4238/2015.December.22.22.

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection of donors and recipients is not an absolute contraindication for allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We studied a patient who received allo-HSCT from an HBsAg-positive donor. The patient was administered long-term immunosuppressive therapy and treated with the oral anti-viral medication, entecavir (ETV). During this treatment, there was no hepatitis B activity, which suggested that the treatment could effectively prevent the incidence of activated hepatitis. HBsAb was detected prior to stopping treatment with ETV, and hepatitis B activity occurred after stopping ETV. This suggested that the recipient was HBsAb-positive before transplantation, with the use of strong immunosuppressive agents, it is possible that HBV infection could occur after stopping ETV treatment because of reactivation of a latent HBV infection or receiving an allo-HSCT from HBsAg-positive donors. The recipient of an allo-HSCT from an HBsAg-positive donor should be given preventive anti-HBV medication when they receive long-term immunosuppressive therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Guanine / administration & dosage
  • Guanine / analogs & derivatives
  • Hepatitis B / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis B / pathology
  • Hepatitis B / virology
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / drug effects
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / immunology*
  • Hepatitis B virus / drug effects
  • Hepatitis B virus / immunology
  • Hepatitis B virus / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Safety-Based Drug Withdrawals
  • Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Tissue Donors
  • Transplant Recipients
  • Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
  • entecavir
  • Guanine