Hepatitis B virus reinfection after liver transplantation: related risk factors and perspective.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, liver transplantation (LT) has been acknowledged as an acceptable option for patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related end-stage liver diseases. However, HBV reinfection is an important event affecting the long-term survival of recipients. This paper was to review the risk factors related to HBV reinfection after LT.


METHODS
English literature was reviewed based on MEDLINE focusing on the potential factors related to HBV reinfection after LT.


RESULTS
HBV reinfection attributes to the unfavorable prognosis after LT. Many related factors may be responsible for it, including recipent factors (ethnical background, preoperative HBV replication status, extrahepatic HBV existence status), donor factors (compromised donor liver, HLA-A, -B compatibilities), perioperative treatment (use of antiviral agents, drug resistance, virus mutation, immunosuppressants protocol, blood transfusion) and others.


CONCLUSIONS
The successful management of HBV reinfection will only be achieved by perfect clarification of its mechanism. The new strategies include new antiviral agents, gene therapy and immune intervention, reliable use of the compromised donor livers, and so on.
Wu
Li-Ming
LM
Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Xu
Xiao
X
Zheng
Shu-Sen
SS
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000821:virology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents