Late hepatitis B virus reactivation after lamivudine prophylaxis interruption in an anti-HBs-positive and anti-HBc-negative patient treated with rituximab-containing therapy

We describe a case of an anti-HBs-positive patient who experienced hepatitis B reactivation 18 months after the discontinuation of rituximab and after 12 months of lamivudine prophylaxis. The patient carried a hepatitis B genotype D virus harbouring a single immune escape mutation, sT118K. No consensus guidelines regarding the optimal length of treatment or the best elective drug have been defined for antiviral prophylaxis for HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc- and/or anti-HBs-positive patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment. Screening based on HBV serological markers and HBV DNA testing is a critical issue to recognise hepatitis B reactivation as early as possible. Furthermore, it is of outstanding importance to identify alternative markers (e.g. cccDNA, HBV core related antigen, etc.), that could be predictive of HBV reactivation. (C) 2011 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.