Abstract
β-interferon was administered by intravenous infusion to 16 patients affected with fulminant hepatitis B virus infection in third or fourth-grade coma. Ten patients presented a superinfection or a co-infection due to the delta (δ)-agent. None had detectable interferon (IFN) activity before therapy was begun. Besides fever, no significant side-effects were observed during treatment. Both the IFN-treated group as well as the "historical" control group, made up of 70 cases of fulminant virus hepatitis, not treated with IFN and observed during a previous ten year-period, received supportive therapy; survival rates were similar in both groups. Furthermore, the presence or absence of the δ-agent did not appear to affect survival rates significantly.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 130-133 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Infection |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 1985 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology (medical)
- Immunology