Which is the most appropriate treatment? A 44-year-old woman with an end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis presents to the physician with abdominal pain. Laboratory tests are positive for HBsAg, anti-HBc, and HBeAg, but negative for anti-HBs and anti-HBe.

Lamivudine and interferon-α

The correct answer is A. This patient has recently acquired acute hepatitis B infection. Abdominal pain, positive hepatitis B surface antigen, and presence of IgM anti-HBc antibody are consistent with the diagnosis. Up to 15 weeks after exposure, patients with hepatitis B infection are positive for HBV DNA, HBsAg, Anti-HBc, and HBeAg, but they are negative for anti-HBe and anti-HBs. The correct combination therapy for hepatitis B is lamivudine and interferon-. Lamivudine is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor that blocks the action of an enzyme that is necessary in hepatitis replication. It is also used as an HIV medication. Interferon- is thought to block viral replication and thereby inhibit hepatitis replication Answer B is incorrect. Interferon- is not used in the treatment of hepatitis Answer C is incorrect. Ribavirin, in combination with pegylated interferon-, is used in the treatment of hepatitis C. Lamivudine, in combination with interferon-, is used in the treatment of hepatitis B Answer D is incorrect. Ribavirin, in combination with pegylated interferon-, is used in the treatment of hepatitis C. Lamivudine, in combination with interferon-, is used in the treatment of hepatitis B Answer E is incorrect. Ribavirin, in combination with pegylated interferon- is used in the treatment of hepatitis C.