Copyright
©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 7, 2009; 15(33): 4196-4198
Published online Sep 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.4196
Published online Sep 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.4196
Successful interferon desensitization in a patient with chronic hepatitis C infection
Seyed Alireza Taghavi, Ahad Eshraghian, Gastroenterohepatology Research Center of Shiraz University of Medical Science, Nemazee Hospital, 71345-1744 Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran
Author contributions: Taghavi SA was responsible for study conception and design, acquisition of data, drafting and revision of the paper, and final approval of the version to be published; Eshraghian A was responsible for data analysis and interpretation, writing and revising the paper, and final approval of the version to be published.
Correspondence to: Dr. Ahad Eshraghian, Gastroenterohepatology Research Center of Shiraz University of Medical Science, Nemazee Hospital, 71345-1744 Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran. eshraghiana@yahoo.com
Telephone: +98-711-6276212 Fax: +98-711-6276212
Received: February 26, 2009
Revised: July 13, 2009
Accepted: July 20, 2009
Published online: September 7, 2009
Revised: July 13, 2009
Accepted: July 20, 2009
Published online: September 7, 2009
Abstract
Treatment of hepatitis C, even when absolutely necessary, is almost impossible when interferon cannot be administered for any reason. We report a 65-year-old patient with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and fibrosis, who was unable to receive interferon because of systemic hypersensitivity. The patient was desensitized successfully through gradual incremental exposure to interferon, and HCV infection was eradicated after a complete course of treatment, with no further allergic reactions. This case report that describes successful eradication of hepatitis C in a patient with advanced liver disease after desensitization to interferon revealed that desensitization may not necessarily damage the therapeutic efficacy of the drug.