Clinical and biochemical reactivation of HBV infection in a thalassemic patient after bone marrow transplantation

Resolved hepatitis B virus infection is not associated with worse outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Serologic evidence of resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been associated with reactivation of hepatitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), but the true impact of this finding is unknown. We conducted a retrospective matched-control analysis of the outcomes of 76 patients with positive HBV core antibody (HBcAb) and negative HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) at the time of allo-HSCT for hematologic or solid malignancies. Control patients (matched controls), with negative serology for HBV and other viral hepatitides, were matched by age, diagnosis, disease risk, intensity of conditioning regimen, and donor type. In addition, the HBcAb-positive patients and all seronegative patients (all controls, n = 1858) undergoing transplantation during the same period were compared to adjust for other confounding effects. Patient characteristics and baseline hepatic function studies were similar in the HBcAb-positive and matched control groups. The cumulative incidence of hepatitis B reactivation (defined as the emergence of HBsAg in serum) was 11.6% at 3 years. There were no significant differences in overall survival, relapse, nonrelapse mortality, and incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease between the HBcAb-positive and control groups. Our data suggest that seropositivity for HBcAb and seronegativity for HBsAg at the time of transplantation does not seem to adversely affect outcome after allo-HSCT.

Risk of hepatitis B surface antigen seroreversion after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT

Allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) increases the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers but the incidence, risk factors and course of HBV reactivation after HSCT in HBsAg-negative/anti-hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc)-positive recipients are not well known. A total of 50 HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive HSCT recipients with onco-hematological diseases, underwent sequential clinical and laboratory examinations, including serum HBsAg, during follow-up. Serum HBV DNA collected at HSCT was retrospectively amplified by a sensitive PCR assay. During 17 months of follow-up, six (12%) patients had seroreverted to HBsAg, 7-32 months after HSCT, with 1- and 5-year cumulative rates of 13 and 22%. HBsAg seroreversion was associated with serum HBeAg higher than 8 log₁₀ copies per ml HBV DNA and a 1.5 to 36 fold increase of serum alanine aminotransferase leading to HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B in all patients. Patients with chronic onco-hematological disease and long-lasting immunosuppression following HSCT had a higher risk of HBsAg seroreversion independently of serum HBV DNA levels at HSCT. HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive HSCT recipients with chronic onco-hematological disease carry a significant risk of HBsAg seroreversion and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B, independently of serum levels of HBV DNA at transplantation.

Reactivation of Hepatitis B Infection following Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation in a Hepatitis B-Immune Patient: Case Report and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is a rare phenomenon.

METHODS

Reverse seroconversion, defined as the clearance of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAb) and the appearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in a patient with resolved HBV infection (i.e., a HBsAg-negative, HBsAb-positive, hepatitis B core antibody-positive patient) following receipt of a bone marrow transplant is described. A review of related cases in the literature was undertaken to identify clinical features associated with this phenomenon.

RESULTS

We present a case of reactivation of HBV infection in a 47-year-old man after receipt of an allogeneic bone marrow transplant for acute myelogenous leukemia. Before undergoing bone marrow transplantation, the presence of HBsAb and hepatitis B core antibody and the absence of HBsAg indicated clearance of natural HBV infection. The donor was HBsAg and HBsAb negative. Twenty-nine months after bone marrow transplantation, the patient developed transaminitis and evidence of active HBV infection (the patient had test results positive for HBsAg, negative for HBsAb, and positive for HBV DNA). A total of 28 other cases of reverse seroconversion have been described in the literature, 11 of which provided adequate information to be summarized in detail together with the present case. Reactivation of HBV infection following bone marrow transplantation appears to occur almost exclusively in patients who have received marrow from an HBsAb-negative donor and have experienced graft-versus-host disease, the onset of which is associated with tapering of immunosuppressive therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Although HBV reverse seroconversion is an uncommon event, understanding the clinical features associated with the development of HBV reverse seroconversion may provide insight into how such a potentially fatal complication may be avoided.

Progressive Disappearance of Anti-Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Antibody and Reverse Seroconversion after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Previous Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Reactivation of resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, which is known as reverse seroconversion (RS), has been reported as a rare complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We retrospectively studied HBV serologic markers in 14 recipients with pretransplant anti-hepatitis B surface antigen antibody (anti-HBs). Progressive decreases in anti-HBs titer were observed in all cases. In 12 cases, anti-HBs titer had decreased to under the protective value. RS occurred in seven cases after disappearance of anti-HBs. Although reseroconversion occurred in five cases, two cases remained in an HBV-carrier status after resolution of hepatitis. In the other five cases, RS did not occur even after disappearance of anti-HBs. The actual risks of anti-HBs disappearance and RS were estimated to be 75.0% and 39.8% at 2 years and 100.0% and 70.0% at 5 years, respectively. In conclusion, RS is a late-onset complication with high frequency that can be predicted by careful monitoring of progressive decrease in anti-HBs titer.

Reactivation of resolved hepatitis B virus infection after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is well known in HBsAg-positive carriers but has only occasionally been reported in patients with resolved HBV infection. We investigated six allo-HSCT recipients with pretransplant anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibodies for serologic markers of HBV infection and for the presence of HBV-DNA in serum. Reverse seroconversion, that is, reappearance of HBsAg after a gradual loss of anti-HBs, but no severe liver damage was observed in three patients at 14, 22 and 12 months after HSCT, respectively. There was an increase in HBV-DNA concentration prior to reverse seroconversion. One patient was repeatedly HBV-DNA positive (10(2)-10(3) copies/ml) without reverse seroconversion. Sequencing of the HBsAg and precore region derived from the four HBV-DNA-positive patients showed no relevant mutations. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a high risk (50%) of reverse seroconversion in allo-HSCT recipients with resolved HBV infection. A highly sensitive HBV-DNA assay (TaqMan-PCR) allowed early identification of the individual patients at risk.