[Possibility of persistent replication of HBV in patients with serological evidence of virus elimination]. / Mozliwosc przetrwalej replikacji HBV u chorych wykazujacych serologiczne dowody eliminacji wirusa.

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B virus infection remains a major epidemiological health problem worldwide, due to the high prevalence (350 mln new cases per year) and clinical consequences of this infection including chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. Two cases of patients with clinical symptoms of chronic hepatitis B without traditional serological markers, pointing to active hepatitis B viral replication, were presented. The diagnosis has been confirmed by molecular methods, typical histopathology of liver biopsy specimens, and biochemical improvement after lamivudine treatment.