To Treat or Not to Treat? : A Case of Severe Acute Hepatitis-B Treated with Entecavir Compared to a Case of Milder, Untreated Disease

Maria Francesca Zenobii, Stefa

Abstract

“To Treat or Not to Treat?”: A Case of Severe Acute Hepatitis-B Treated with Entecavir Compared to a Case of Milder, Untreated Disease Purpose: Acute hepatitis B, usually a benign disease in the immunocompetent adult, may be fatal in a minority of cases. The oral deoxyguanosine nucleoside analogue entecavir has gained a definite role in treating chronic hepatitis B virus infection. However, the indications and the specific timing for antiviral treatment in severe AHB remains to be established. We aimed at gaining insight into such indication based on clinical observation of two cases.