Pleural Effusion Related to Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation: A Rare Association

• Main Authors: Ana Oliveira, Diana Valadares, Filipe Nery
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2021-02-01
• Series: European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
• Subjects: hepatitis b virus; viral reactivation; extrahepatic manifestations; pleural effusion
• Online Access: https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/2270

Despite worldwide vaccination campaigns, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health problem. The natural history ranges from asymptomatic infection to severe liver injury or failure, chronic complications or reactivation episodes. The effects of HBV on the organism are immunomediated, possibly triggering extrahepatic manifestations. Since 1971, only a few cases of pleural effusion related to HBV infection have been described. We report HBV-associated pleural effusion occurring during a viral reactivation episode. Antiviral treatment directed towards pleural effusion related to HBV infection should be dictated by underlying liver disease severity and not pleural effusion severity.