title: Management of acute hepatitis B.
abstract: Acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common cause of acute icteric hepatitis in adults. The vast majority of these patients resolve this acute infection and develop long-lasting immunity. In contrast, the vast majority of patients who develop chronic HBV have minimal symptoms and do not develop jaundice after becoming infected with HBV. These patients will frequently remain undiagnosed for years or decades. Approximately 1% of persons with acute HBV develop acute liver failure. Preventing acute HBV with vaccination is the best treatment. Although universal vaccination is now administered to newborns in many countries, the majority of adults have not been vaccinated and remain at risk. Because the majority of patients with acute HBV resolve this infection spontaneously, treatment with an oral anti-HBV agent is not necessary. However, the use of an oral anti-HBV agent is not unreasonable to use in a patient who is developing acute liver failure from severe acute HBV.
authors.affiliation: Bon Secours Health System, Liver Institute of Virginia, Richmond, VA, USA. mlshiffman@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mitchell L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Shiffman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents