title: Immunology of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: More than 500 million people worldwide are persistently infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) and are at risk of developing chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite many common features in the pathogenesis of HBV- and HCV-related liver disease, these viruses markedly differ in their virological properties and in their immune escape and survival strategies. This review assesses recent advances in our understanding of viral hepatitis, contrasts mechanisms of virus-host interaction in acute hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and outlines areas for future studies.
authors.affiliation: Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 9B16, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Rehermann@nih.gov
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rehermann
authors.forename: Michelina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nascimbeni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000276:immunology; D018448:Models, Immunological