Direct‐acting antivirals and hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in co‐infected HBV/HCV kidney‐transplant recipients. Issue 3 (25th March 2018) - Pol, Stanislas
Abstract: Direct‐acting agents (DAAs) are highly efficient at treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections after kidney transplantation. Although drug agencies have recently warned of the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation after patients have received DAAs, reports have discrepant results in HBsAg‐positive and HBsAg‐negative patients. We report on 3 cases of HBV reactivation that were detected after achieving a DAA‐associated sustained virological response in 3 kidney‐transplant recipients initially HBsAg‐negative. In the first case, retrospective virological analysis revealed that HBsAgs had become positive and HBV DNA was detectable before initiating DAA therapy. In the second and third cases, HBV reactivation occurred 2 months and more than 1 year after stopping anti‐HCV therapy. These cases underline the discrepancies and highlight the need for comprehensive information before making definitive conclusions regarding the causal link between DAAs and HBV reactivation.