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Chronic hepatitis B: a global health problem requiring coherent worldwide treatment strategies

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Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection, a major cause of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, is a worldwide health concern. While the past two decades have brought major advances in the availability of treatments to help delay or prevent these outcomes, treatment of chronic hepatitis B remains a serious challenge, not least due to the ability of the virus to remain in hepatocyte nuclei as a source of potential reactivation—hence the term chronic hepatitis B infection. This article reviews the current treatments available and suggests a framework for a rational approach to managing the disease.

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Abbreviations

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

CHB:

Chronic hepatitis B infection

HBV:

Hepatitis B virus

HBeAg:

Hepatitis B e antigen

HBsAg:

Hepatitis surface antigen

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    George Lau

  2. Service d’Hépatologie, INSERM 481 & Centre de Recherches Claude Bernaud sur les Hépatite Virales, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France

    Patrick Marcellin

  3. University of California, 513 Parnassus Ave, Room S-357, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA

    Marion Peters

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  1. George Lau
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  2. Patrick Marcellin
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  3. Marion Peters
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Correspondence to Marion Peters.

Additional information

See related article: DOI 10.1007/s12072-007-9005-6

Dr. Peters reports receiving consulting or lecture fees from Idenix, Hoffman La Roche, Gilead Sciences; grant support from Achillion Pharmaceuticals and serving on the data safety monitoring board for Glaxo Smith Kline. Dr. Lau reports receiving consulting or lecture fees from Hoffman La Roche and Novaritis; grant support from Hoffman La Roche, Novarits, Bukwang and Gilead Sciences. Dr. Marcellin reports receiving consulting or lecture fees from BMS, Coley Pharma, Gilead, GSK, HGS, Idenix-Novartis, Roche, Schering Plough, Valeant and Vertex and grant support from BMS, Gilead, GSK, HGS, Idenix-Novartis, Roche, Schering Plough, Valeant and Vertex.

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Lau, G., Marcellin, P. & Peters, M. Chronic hepatitis B: a global health problem requiring coherent worldwide treatment strategies. Hep Intl 1, 316–325 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-007-9006-5

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