Acute hepatitis induced by alpha-interferon, associated with viral clearance, in chronic hepatitis C.

We describe the cases of two patients with chronic hepatitis C who developed acute hepatitis with marked amino-transferase elevations and jaundice 3 and 5 months after initiation of interferon treatment. Hepatitis resolved rapidly after cessation of interferon. No autoantibodies were detected. Hepatitis was followed by viral clearance, demonstrated by clearance of hepatitis C viraemia. We propose that hepatitis may be due to an immune lysis of hepatocytes and suggest that this immune response may contribute to viral clearance.