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Evidence for a deficiency of interferon production in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection acquired in adult life

Ninety per cent of patients infected in adult life with the hepatitis B virus clear the virus completely and 10% develop chronic infection. There is evidence for the involvement of interferon in the clearance of acute hepatitis B virus infection. We report that, in in vitro tests, some hepatitis B virus carriers have a reduced capacity to produce α‐ and γ‐interferon which is unrelated to the level of viral replication and to the severity of the liver disease and that the level of 2–5 oligoadenylate synthetase in their livers is only minimally elevated compared to controls. Treatment with lymphoblastoid (α−) interferon leads to a marked rise in 2–5 oligoadenylate synthetase activity. These data indicate that some patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection acquired in adult life have a partial deficiency of production of α‐interferon but can respond to exogenous α‐interferon. These observations provide a logical basis for attempts to treat this condition with interferons.