title: Viral hepatitis B.
abstract: More than 400 million people worldwide are chronically infected by the hepatitis B virus. The virus is responsible for more than 300000 cases of liver cancer every year and for similar numbers of gastrointestinal haemorrhage and ascites. Major breakthroughs have been achieved in diagnosis and treatment of this virus. Hepatitis B vaccine reduces incidence of liver cancer. As with hepatitis C, advances have been made in molecular virology, especially for naturally occurring and treatment-induced mutant viruses. The clinical significance of low viral load and genotypes are also under investigation. Currently available monotherapies-interferon, lamivudine, and adefovir dipivoxil-very rarely eradicate the virus, but greatly reduce its replication, necroinflammatory histological activity, and progression of fibrosis. Lamivudine, and presumably other nucleoside analogues, can reverse cirrhosis of the liver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. hrmelcl@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Ching Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Vlad
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ratziu
authors.forename: Man-Fung
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poynard
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063065:Organophosphonates; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D063065:Organophosphonates; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D000225:Adenine; C106812:adefovir dipivoxil