title: Current topics in hepatitis B.
abstract: Over two billion people around the world have been infected with hepatitis B virus, of whom over 350 million are chronic carriers. Some 25% of carriers develop progressive liver disease. The annual mortality from hepatitis B infection and its sequelae is 1-2 million people worldwide.The following current topics are reviewed: immunization strategies against hepatitis B and the kinetics and antibody response; the controversy on screening blood donors for anti-core antibodies; mutations of hepatitis B surface antigen, including evidence that not all such mutants are detectable by current laboratory tests and, finally, the introduction of second generation nucleoside analogues for treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection, including treatment of patients with decompensated liver disease and liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Academic Centre for Travel Medicine and Vaccines, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Viral Diseases, Royal Free Campus, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London NW3 2PF, UK.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001782:Blood Donors; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009154:Mutation; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine