Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) that affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. It can cause both acute and chronic infection. Many people have no symptoms during an initial infection. For others, symptoms may appear 30 to 180 days after becoming infected and can include a rapid onset of sickness with nausea, vomiting, yellowish skin, fatigue, dark urine, and abdominal pain. Symptoms during acute infection typically last for a few weeks, though some people may feel sick for up to six months. Deaths resulting from acute stage HBV infections are rare. An HBV infection lasting longer than six months is usually considered chronic. The likelihood of developing chronic hepatitis B is higher for those who are infected with HBV at a younger age. About 90% of those infected during or shortly after birth develop chronic hepatitis B, while less than 10% of those infected after the age of five develop chronic cases. Most of those with chronic disease have no symptoms; however, cirrhosis and liver cancer eventually develop in about 25% of those with chronic HBV. The virus is transmitted by exposure to infectious blood or body fluids. In areas where the disease is common, infection around the time of birth or from contact with other people's blood during childhood are the most frequent methods by which hepatitis B is acquired. In areas where the disease is rare, intravenous drug use and sexual intercourse are the most frequent routes of infection. Other risk factors include working in healthcare, blood transfusions, dialysis, living with an infected person, travel in countries with high infection rates, and living in an institution. Tattooing and acupuncture led to a significant number of cases in the 1980s; however, this has become less common with improved sterilization. The hepatitis B viruses cannot be spread by holding hands, sharing eating utensils, kissing, hugging, coughing, sneezing, or breastfeeding. The infection can be diagnosed 30 to 60 days after exposure.

Joint host-pathogen genomic analysis identifies hepatitis B virus mutations associated with human NTCP and HLA class I variation

Jacques Fellay, Bruno Emanuel Ferreira De Sousa Correia, Zhi Ming Xu, Andreas Scheck, Dylan Lawless, Olivier Noël Marie Naret, Arne Schneuing, David Gfeller, Thomas Junier, Sina Rüeger

Evolutionary changes in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome could reflect its adaptation to host -induced selective pressure. Leveraging paired human exome and ultra -deep HBV genome-sequencing data from 567 affected individuals with chronic hepatitis B, we ...

Cell Press2024

Joint host-pathogen genomic analysis identifies hepatitis B virus mutations associated with human NTCP and HLA class I variation

Host-Pathogen Interactions Through the Genomic Lens

Induction of a strong and long-lasting neutralizing immune response by dPreS1-TLR2 agonist nanovaccine against hepatitis B virus