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 Hepatitis Group. A 43-year-old Japanese female showed human leukocyte antigen typing including DR4 in addition to hypergammaglobulinemia, presence of autoantibodies, and liver histology suggestive of autoimmune hepatitis. Moreover, the predominant presence of hepatitis B core antigen in nuclei rather than in cytoplasm of hepatocytes suggested less of a possibility 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.