Hepatitis B: diagnosis and management

Globally, hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major causes of chronic liver diseases, apart from hepatitis C virus infection and alcohol abuse. The structure and genetic organization of HBV as well as the natural course and global burden of HBV infection are known in great detail. These advances have been successfully translated into important clinical applications, such as the sensitive and specific diagnosis, therapy and prevention of the hepatitis B virus-associated liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. While it is possible to successfully prevent hepatitis B by vaccination, treatment of chronic HBV infection is more difficult than hepatitis C virus infection because it rarely eliminates the virus and makes an indefinite therapy necessary in most cases. Therefore, the World Health Organization goal of hepatitis B virus elimination by 2030 poses a major challenge to the medical community as well as to the health care authorities and requires their commitment to coordinated global interventions.