Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0019163 (hepatitis B)
 38,309 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Persistent carriage of hepatitis B virus in extremely high titre was identified in 5 out of 9 chimpanzees kept at the London Zoo. Antibody to this virus was present in the other 4 chimpanzees. Serological survey of the other primates in the Regent's Park collection did not reveal the presence of the surface antigen in 2 gorillas, 11 orang-utans, and 2 gibbons, although surface antibody was present in the serum of 1 gorilla and 2 orang-utans. 3 of the carrier chimpanzees were born at the Zoo and were the offspring of either a carrier mother or a carrier father, and perinatal transmission may have occurred. A strict safety code of practice was introduced and hepatitis B immunoglobulin was given at intervals to designated staff members. Sero-conversion did not occur in any of the 38 staff members under surveillance for more than 2 years. Treatment of the carrier state in the chimpanzees was attempted with human leucocyte interferon, with and without ribavirin ('Virazole'), and with adenine arabinoside, but the effects were mostly temporary.
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PMID:Hepatitis B outbreak among chimpanzees at the London Zoo. 8 May 78

Virazole (Ribavirin, ICN 1229), a broad-spectrum, antiviral chemotherapeutic agent was used to treat two adult chronically hepatitis B surface antigen (HB(s) Ag)-seropositive chimpanzees. No significant change in serum hepatitis B surface antigen was noted and no adverse reactions were observed. The role of viral replication in the chronic carrier state of hepatitis B is discussed.
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PMID:Antiviral effects of virazole in chronic hepatitis B surface antigen-seropositive chimpanzees. 98 98

Sixty-four patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis (excluding those suffering from hepatitis B) were selected for the double blind clinical trial. They were randomly allocated to either ribavirin therapy (200 mg four times a day) or placebo. Four patients were lost to follow up and therefore final analysis was carried out on 60 patients (thirty had received ribavirin and the rest placebo). Patients receiving ribavirin showed significant rapid improvement, with the disappearance of annoying symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, etc) and return of good appetite; moreover, the abnormal blood parameters showed significant rapid changes towards normal values in ribavirin treated patients as compared to those observed in placebo group. Ribavirin was well tolerated and there were no side effects. Since acute viral hepatitis is endemic with outbreaks of epidemics in many areas at various times and as yet there is no effective anti-viral drug available with the physicians in India, ribavirin is indeed a most welcome drug for its therapy.
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PMID:Ribavirin in acute viral hepatitis. 178 30

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial using ribavirin (200 mg orally four times a day for two weeks) was conducted in 30 patients with acute uncomplicated viral hepatitis (excluding hepatitis B). Clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated on days 5, 10 and 14 after starting treatment. Mean levels of ALT and AST were significantly lower in the ribavirin treated group as compared to the placebo group on days 5, 10 and 14; serum bilirubin levels were significantly lower in the ribavirin group on days 10 and 14. Ribavirin therapy was not associated with any significant side effects. We conclude that ribavirin therapy in acute uncomplicated non-B viral hepatitis leads to more rapid normalisation of biochemical parameters.
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PMID:Ribavirin in acute viral hepatitis. 191 70

Recent advances have been made in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, mainly with recombinant interferon (IFN) alpha. However, the present treatment of chronic viral hepatitis is not entirely satisfactory because the efficacy is inconstant and/or incomplete. In chronic hepatitis B IFN-alpha induces a sustained interruption of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, with a HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion in about 30% of patients. Patients most likely to respond are those with no immunosuppression, HBV infection acquired during adulthood or active liver disease with low HBV replication. Responders usually show a significant decrease in serum HBV DNA levels during the first 2 months of therapy, followed by a significant increase in the level of aminotransferases. New nucleoside analogues might be useful in combination with IFN-alpha in the treatment of those who do not respond to IFN therapy. In chronic hepatitis B-D, the rate of sustained response to IFN-alpha therapy is low. To be effective, IFN-alpha must be used at a high dosage (9-10 mega units) with a long duration (1 year). In chronic hepatitis C, IFN-alpha at a dosage of 3 mega units over 6 months, induces a sustained response in about 20% of patients. A higher dosage of IFN (5-10 mega units) and a longer duration of treatment increases the rate of sustained response but is associated with poor tolerance. Non-responders to a first course of IFN do not respond to a second course of treatment. In patients who respond but relapse after treatment, the rate of sustained response after a second course of IFN needs to be assessed. Ribavirin, which has a significant antiviral effect on hepatitis C virus, might be useful in combination with IFN-alpha. At the dosage (3-6 mega units) usually used, IFN-alpha is relatively well tolerated. In about 10% of the patients therapy is interrupted, mainly because of severe fatigue, thyroid dysfunction or depression.
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PMID:Treatment of chronic viral hepatitis. 794 57

Chronic hepatitis D is a usually severe and progressive liver disease due to infection with the hepatitis delta virus, a unique RNA virus requiring the hepatitis B virus helper function to exert its pathogenic potential. Alpha IFN is at present the treatment of choice for chronic viral hepatitis, but the results obtained in chronic hepatitis D are far from being satisfactory. Available data show that IFN is more likely to be effective if administered to patients with a recent infection (lasting less than 1 year) at high doses (9-10 MU thrice in a week) and for a prolonged length of time (at least 12 months). The optimal timing of IFN treatment remains to be addressed: apart from the clearance of HBsAg and seroconversion to anti-HBs (an event often occurring months to years after completion of a successful IFN treatment) no other early biochemical or virological events can predict a sustained response. Better therapeutic options are therefore needed. Unfortunately, antiviral agents, such as Ribavirin, active against HDV in cell cultures, have failed to confirm their attitude in the clinical setting. In vitro and in vivo evidence points to HBV as a possible target for antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis D, providing the rationale for trying new deoxynucleotide analogues also in this severe form of hepatitis.
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PMID:Interferon in HDV infection. 797 16

Ribavirin is a nucleoside analogue with broad spectrum antiviral activity that has been shown to inhibit viral replication in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B virus infection. We studied the effect of ribavirin on viral replication in 18 patients with chronic hepatitis B who were positive for hepatitis B e antigen. Patients were randomized to receive a 24-week course of oral ribavirin at a dose of either 800, 1000, or 1200 mg/kg per day. All patients completed 24 weeks of treatment and an additional 24 weeks of follow up without significant side effects except for mild, reversible hemolytic anemia. Response to ribavirin was similar among all three dosage groups (p > 0.5); hence the data were pooled and analyzed together. Mean hepatitis B virus DNA levels decreased from 162.7 (95% confidence interval, 106 to 219) pg/ml before treatment to its lowest level of 114.3 (95% confidence interval, 53 to 175) pg/ml at week 20 (p < 0.05). Two patients became negative for HBV DNA and lost hepatitis B e antigen. Mean serum alanine aminotransferase activity decreased markedly from 131.1 (95% confidence interval, 84 to 178) U/l before treatment to 62.4 (95% confidence interval, 48 to 77) U/l at the end of 24 weeks of ribavirin (p < 0.05) and became normal in four patients (22%). Aminotransferase levels returned to baseline within 4 weeks once ribavirin was discontinued, while HBV DNA concentrations remained below baseline even at the end of 24 weeks of follow up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Therapy of chronic hepatitis B with a 6-month course of ribavirin. 798 4

Interferon treatment of hepatitis B and C virus (HBV, HCV) infections has been hampered by overall initial response rates of < 50%, a relapse rate that is > 50% for patients with chronic HCV, and rare responses in individuals with chronic HBV who are immunosuppressed or immunologically tolerant to the HBV. Because of these difficulties, the efficacy of other therapeutic agents is being vigorously explored. Among the immunomodulatory agents being evaluated, thymosin appears to be a promising new therapy for HBV. Results from an ongoing multicenter trial evaluating thymosin are expected next year. A variety of nucleoside analogues with antiviral activity against the HBV have also been identified. Several of the more active agents deserve further study in clinical trials. In chronic HCV infection, only interferon therapy has been extensively studied. Ribavirin alone may have some value, but its precise role in the treatment of chronic HCV will require additional testing. Interferon therapy for patients with chronic HBV or HCV infection represents an important first step in the treatment of these disorders. In the absence of an ideal antiviral agent, however, combinations of the available antiviral and immunomodulatory agents or synergistic combinations of antiviral agents need to be studied in order to achieve better therapeutic responses.
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PMID:New approaches to the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B and C. 810 88

Ribavirin is a nucleoside analog that inhibits the replication of many DNA and RNA viruses. To evaluate the efficacy of oral ribavirin, we randomly assigned 24 HBeAg-positive patients with chronic active hepatitis to a 12-wk course of treatment with 0.8 to 1.0 gm/ribavirin day, 3 mU interferon-beta three times a week intravenously or a combination of those drugs. Ribavirin, alone and in combination with interferon-beta, decreased hepatitis B virus levels in most patients, and mean serum hepatitis B virus DNA and DNA polymerase levels at the end of treatment were approximately half of baseline levels (p < 0.05). Interferon alone exerted the most inhibitory effect on hepatitis B virus activity (p < 0.01). During ribavirin treatment, changes in serum aminotransferase values varied considerably and the mean values did not change significantly, although interferon alone and the combination of interferon and ribavirin were associated with significant reductions in serum aminotransferase activities. Ribavirin was well tolerated, but we transiently reduced the dosage in two cases because of mild hemolytic anemia, although all patients completed the treatment schedule. The combination of interferon and ribavirin did not appear to result in greater toxicity. During the follow-up period (6 to 9 mo), HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA disappeared in one patient treated with ribavirin, in two treated with interferon and in two given the combination. These results indicate that ribavirin suppresses hepatitis B virus replication, although its effect is less than that of interferon, and that it may be useful as adjunctive therapy for chronic hepatitis B.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Pilot study of ribavirin and interferon-beta for chronic hepatitis B. 834 55

A substantial number of anti-viral compounds have been evaluated for the treatment of patients with chronic viral hepatitis. A few of these compounds have now achieved clinical applicability. alpha-Interferon is the most widely studied and remains the main treatment for chronic hepatitis B and C. Unfortunately in both these conditions only a minority of patients respond to interferon therapy, although the response can be complete in some patients. Some parameters have been identified which assist in the selection of patients for treatment. Several other cytokines, including thymosin, have been evaluated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. There are a number of promising new nucleosides which may inhibit hepatitis B virus and their action is being studied. Relapse rates are unknown however with these compounds. Ribavirin, a guanosine analogue, is also efficacious in treating a proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C and the drug may be useful in treating patients with cirrhosis or patients who have an auto-immune diathesis.
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PMID:Treatment of chronic viral hepatitis. 840 92


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