HEPATITIS-B VIRUS CARRIER STATUS LINKED TO AUTOIMMUNE HEPATITIS

We describe a hepatitis B virus carrier who satisfied the criteria of autoimmune hepatitis proposed by the International Autoimmune Hepatiti s Group. A 43-year-old Japanese female showed human leukocyte antigen typing including DR4 in addition to hypergammaglobulinemia, presence o f autoantibodies, and liver histology suggestive of autoimmune hepatit is, Moreover, the predominant presence of hepatitis B core antigen in nuclei rather than in cytoplasm of hepatocytes suggested less of a pos sibility of liver cell damage related to hepatitis B virus infection, She completely responded to immunosuppressive therapy and no clinical or biochemical relapse has been recognized to date.