Hepatitis B Virus Infection: What Is Current and New

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a lifelong dynamic disease that can be controlled with treatment but cannot yet be cured. Risk of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases with ongoing inflammation and HBV viremia. Initial treatments consist of tenofovir or entecavir. Patients who require treatment include those with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, HCC, or HIV coinfection; patients receiving immunosuppressive treatments; and women in the third trimester of pregnancy who have elevated HBV DNA level. A number of virologic and host immune approaches are being investigated with the aim of achieving HBV eradication. This article summarizes an IAS-USA webinar given by Marion G. Peters, MD, on June 14, 2018