Long-term follow-up of e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive acute viral hepatitis.

Eighteen consecutive patients with HBeAg in serum and histologically verified acute viral hepatitis were included in a follow-up study of the natural course of the disease. Five patients were followed up for from 2 to 6 months. Two of these healed clinically and cleared both HBeAg and HBsAg, while three were positive for HBeAg and HBsAg at the last control. Thirteen patients with a follow-up of from 27 to 102 months became HBeAg-negative during the time of observation. In all but one, progression of the liver disease stopped when HBeAg was cleared. The results further indicate a close association between the duration of HBe antigenemia and the severity of the liver disease.