Antiviral Treatment of Chronic Type B Hepatitis

Editorials1 September 1987Antiviral Treatment of Chronic Type B HepatitisJAY H. HOOFNAGLE, M.D.JAY H. HOOFNAGLE, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-107-2-414 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptVidarabine (adenine arabinoside; Ara-A) is an adenine analogue with potent activity against several DNA viruses including most herpesviruses. In a large, multicenter trial done in the mid-1970s, vidarabine was shown to be beneficial as primary therapy of herpes simplex virus encephalitis (1). The development, evaluation, and licensure of vidarabine was an important milestone in antiviral research. Vidarabine was the first drug licensed in the United States as a major, systemic antiviral agent.Encouraged by the potent and broad-spectrum antiviral activity of vidarabine against herpesviruses, Pollard and coworkers (2) did a small pilot study of vidarabine in patients with chronic type...References1. WHITLEYSOONGDOLINGALASSOCHIENALFORD RSRGLC. Adenine arabinoside therapy of biopsy-proven herpes simplex encephalitis: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases collaborative antiviral study. N Engl J Med. 1977;297:289-94. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. POLLARDSMITHNEALGREGORYMERIGANROBINSON RJAPTW. Effects of vidarabine on chronic hepatitis B virus infection. JAMA. 1976;239:1648-50. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. SCULLARDPOLLARDSMITH GRJ. Antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection: I. Changes in viral markers with interferon combined with adenine arabinoside. J Infect Dis. 1981;143:772-83. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. SCULLARDANDRESGREENBERG GLH. 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CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. ALEXANDERBRAHMFAGAN GJE. Loss of HBsAg with interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Lancet. 1987;1:66-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar14. HOOFNAGLEPETERSMULLEN JMK. Randomized controlled trial of a four month course of recombinant human alpha interferon in patients with chronic type B hepatitis [Abstract]. Hepatology. 1985;5:1033. Google Scholar15. SCHALMHEYJTINKVAN BUURENDE MAN SRHR. Acyclovir enhances the antiviral effect of interferon in chronic hepatitis B. Lancet. 1985;2:358-60. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: JAY H. HOOFNAGLE, M.D.Affiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byTreatment of chronic hepatitis B: New antiviral therapiesIntrahepatic mononuclear cell populations and MHC antigen expression in patients with chronic hepatitis B: Effect of interferon-αHepatitis B virus DNA patterns in the liver of children with chronic hepatitis BChronic hepatitisEFFECT OF PHYLLANTHUS AMARUS ON CHRONIC CARRIERS OF HEPATITIS B VIRUSLymphoblastoid interferon in controlled trials of chronic hepatitis B virus infection 1 September 1987Volume 107, Issue 3Page: 414-415KeywordsAdenineAntiviralsChronic hepatitisDNA virusesDrugsEncephalitisHepatitis virusesHerpes simplexHerpesvirusesPilot studies ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 September 1987 PDF downloadLoading ...