Researchers able to 'customize' hepatitis B care

July 26, 2010

Researchers able to ¡¥customize¡¦ hepatitis B care

STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA

Monday, Jul 26, 2010

Taiwanese researchers have found a way to ¡§customize¡¨ treatment for

individuals with hepatitis B by predicting the activity of the virus, the head

of a research team said on Saturday.

The study, which analyzed cases of hepatitis B virus infections reported in the

past 17 years, found two intercellular mediators in the immune system that can

¡§predict¡¨ the virus¡¦ activity, said Wu Jia-feng (§d¹Å®p), a pediatrician at

National Taiwan University Hospital.

In chronic hepatitis B patients, the team found there is a higher concentration

of the mediators ¡X known as interleukin-10 and interleukin-12 ¡X that trigger

the hepatitis B antigen earlier than in those with a lower concentration of the

mediators.

Wu said that when a patient tests positive for the antigen, it means the virus

is reproducing, while a negative result means the immune system has suppressed

the hepatitis B virus.

The goal of treatments have been to ¡§turn the [antigen] negative,¡¨ Wu said.

Existing anti-viral drugs have not been very effective in the treatment of

patients, as only 20 percent to 30 percent have shown signs of improvement after

taking the drugs for 12 months, Wu said.

The intercellular mediators could be a factor in the ineffectiveness of the

drugs, he added.

The study was published in the US-based Gastroenterology journal in January.

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