title: Immune system and hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: The immune system plays an important role in determining the outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This is because recovery from of acute HBV infection is associated with a clear division in the profile of adaptive immune response. Multispecific antiviral CD4 and CD8 responses with a type 1 cytokine production can be observed in patients who recover from acute HBV infection. On the other hand, those who develop chronic infection tend to have a weak virus specific T cell response. Therapeutic strategies aimed at correcting this defective T cell reactivity could represent a complementary approach to the cure of chronic HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Chee-Kin
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: George K K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D014644:Genetic Variation; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology