[Can therapeutic measures cause a hepatitis virus infection to become chronic? (author's transl)].

The question whether a hepatitis B virus infection can become chronic as a result of prophylactic or therapeutic measures is investigated. Experience with standard or hepatitis B gamma-globulin has shown no negative influence on the development of chronic hepatitis B virus infections. On the other hand it cannot be excluded that a hepatitis B virus infection may be so modified by steroid therapy, by immunosuppressive or cytostatic treatment that the disease runs a milder course and then tends to chronicity with persistence of HBs antigen.