Journal article

Selection of hepatitis B virus polymerase mutants with enhanced replication by lamivudine treatment after liver transplantation

CT Bock, HL Tillmann, J Torresi, J Klempnauer, S Locarnini, MP Manns, C Trautwein

GASTROENTEROLOGY | W B SAUNDERS CO | Published : 2002

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Lamivudine has become a main therapeutic option for treating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Although drug resistance develops, the clinical course after selection of antiviral-resistant HBV mutants seems to be benign. However, we observed a severe clinical course of hepatitis B infection in several liver transplant recipients after the emergence of lamivudine resistance. This was associated with high viral load in the blood. METHODS: In this report, we characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying drug-dependent enhanced replication of particular lamivudine-resistant HBV mutants selected in these patients, which were associated with sudden onset of liver failure. RE..

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University of Melbourne Researchers