A Global View to HBV Chronic Infection: Evolving Strategies for Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention in Immunocompetent Individuals

• Main Authors: Laura Ambra Nicolini, Andrea Orsi, Paola Tatarelli, Claudio Viscoli, Giancarlo Icardi, Laura Sticchi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: HBV chronic infection; HBV diagnosis; HBV prevention; HBV treatment; HBV vaccine
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/18/3307

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a significant public health challenge. Around 250 million people live with chronic HBV infection. With a global approach to this issue, we focus on new perspective in diagnosis, management and prevention of HBV chronic infection. Precise diagnosis of HBV status is crucial to guide patient management. Although available drugs reduce the risk of liver disease progression, they are not able to definitely eradicate HBV, and new therapeutic options are urgently needed. Thus, prevention of HBV infection is still the most effective strategy to achieve the control of the disease. Key aspects of prevention programs include surveillance of viral hepatitis, screening programs and immunization strategies. In spite of the high success rate of licensed HBV vaccines, a need for improved vaccine persists, especially in order to provide coverage of current non-responders.