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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2017 May 19;16(6):651–672. doi: 10.1080/14740338.2017.1325869

Table 6.

Phases and characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation.

HBV reactivation phase Characteristics
Increased HBV replication Rapid rise (>1 log10IU/mL) in HBV DNA
HBeAg re-appearance (seroreversion) in HBeAg negative individuals
HBsAg re-appearance (seroreversion) in individuals with past HBV infection
Necroinflammatory host response Host response leads to liver injury

  • Elevated aminotransferases (>3 times baseline suggests more severe liver disease)

  • Symptomatic hepatitis

  • Jaundice
Recovery Host re-gains controls of HBV replication

  • HBV DNA falls to baseline levels

  • Reduced host response to virus (ALT falls to baseline with reducing disease activity)

  • HBsAg seroconversion may occur in a subset of individuals

IU = International units

ALT = Alanine aminotransferase