Fatal hepatitis B virus reactivation by an escape mutant following rituximab therapy

Abstract

The chimeric monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab targets and destroys B lymphocytes and is used increasingly in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[1][1],[2][2] In spite of rituximab-induced B-cell depletion, the incidence of infectious complications does not appear to be generally