title: Practical use of hepatitis C and B molecular tools: Belgian guidelines.
abstract: This article discusses the use of virologic assays in the diagnosis and management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) infection. The use of virologic tests has become essential in the management of HCV and HBV infection to diagnose viral infection, guide treatment decisions, and assess the virologic response to antiviral therapy. The continuing development of test systems accompanied by new antiviral drugs and novel therapeutic approaches should lead to an optimization of the treatment of HCV infection. Molecular methods for viral testing have become an integral part of the diagnostic and therapeutic management of infections with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatopancreatology, Hôpital Erasme, ULB, Brussels, Belgium. madler@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goubau
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leroux-Roels
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sprengers
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pawlotsky
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral