AbstractThe effect of interferon-alpha2b treatment on activated T lymphocytes -T cells expressing interleukin-2 receptors -(IL-2R) was studied in IS patients with chronic active hepatitis B. Blood samples were taken before, on the 2nd, 4th and 5th month of treatment. Patients were divided in 3 groups according to their response to therapy(complete, partial, no response). At the end of treatment, IL-2R+ cells were decreased in the group of patients with complete response, unchanged in patients with partial response and increased in patients with no response. These results confirm the immunomodulatory effect of interferon and reflect the effect of treatment in the management of the disease.