Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is one type of hepatitis – a liver disease- caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B spreads by contact with an infected person's blood, semen or other body fluid. An infected woman can give hepatitis B to her baby at birth.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that is spread when contact is made with blood or blood products from an infected individual.

Hepatitis B Prevention

Is Hepatitis Preventable?

Hepatitis B Immunization

Hepatitis B Diagnosis

Closed Circular DNA and Hepatitis B Infection

Hepatitis B Treatment

Hepatitis B Mechanisms

Hepatitis B Symptoms

Hepatitis B Structure: Capsid Flexibility and Function

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D

Hepatitis B Prognosis

Latest Hepatitis B News and Research

Rising liver cancer rates highlight need for urgent action worldwide

The majority of liver cancer cases could be prevented by reducing levels of viral hepatitis, alcohol consumption and MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease – previously called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), suggests an analysis as part of The Lancet Commission on liver cancer.

29 Jul 2025

WHO urges urgent action to eliminate hepatitis and reduce liver cancer deaths

As we mark World Hepatitis Day, WHO calls on governments and partners to urgently accelerate efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat and reduce liver cancer deaths.

29 Jul 2025

New study reveals high lifetime exposure to hepatitis B and C in Ukraine

A study just published on Eurosurveillance has found evidence of substantial lifetime exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses in Ukraine in a 2021 nationwide, representative sample of the population, with findings also suggesting significant ongoing circulation of these viruses.

24 Jul 2025

APOE ε4 variant reveals hidden risk factors beyond Alzheimer’s

Researchers discovered that people carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant share a unique immune-related protein signature across their blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid—regardless of neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. This signature reveals a fundamental, disease-independent vulnerability linked to APOE ε4, reframing our understanding of genetic risk in conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, ALS, and FTD.

21 Jul 2025

Louisiana upholds its HIV exposure law as other states change or repeal theirs

When Robert Smith met his future girlfriend in 2010, he wanted to take things slowly. For Smith, no relationship had been easy in the years since he was diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV.

21 Jul 2025

Study reveals complex patterns of burden and survival among people with digestive system cancers in China

Digestive system malignancies (DSMTs)-including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers-represent a major public health challenge in China.

18 Jul 2025

New WHO guidelines recommend injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention

The World Health Organization (WHO) released today new guidelines recommending the use of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention, in a landmark policy action that could help reshape the global HIV response.

14 Jul 2025

Limiting carcinogen exposure could mitigate liver cancer risk for people with HBV infection

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is known to be associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but how and why they are connected remains unknown.

27 Jun 2025

Kennedy’s vaccine advisers sow doubts as scientists protest US pivot on shots

As fired and retired scientists rallied outside in the Atlanta heat, an advisory panel that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handpicked to replace experts he'd fired earlier met inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's headquarters to plan a more skeptical vaccine future.

27 Jun 2025

Alcoholic liver disease exacerbates HBV reactivation and worsens outcomes in liver transplant recipients

A recent study published in Engineering has shed light on the impact of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) on post-transplant hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation and survival outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

24 Jun 2025

Circular RNAs emerge as key players in hepatitis B-related liver cancer

Hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major global health burden, and new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches are urgently needed.

20 Jun 2025

HIV drugs found to significantly reduce Alzheimer's risk in new study

UVA Health scientists are calling for clinical trials testing the potential of HIV drugs called NRTIs to prevent Alzheimer's disease after discovering that patients taking the drugs are substantially less likely to develop the memory-robbing condition.

8 May 2025

Evaluating hydronidone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B-associated liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a key process in the progression of chronic liver diseases. However, there are currently no drugs specifically designed to treat liver fibrosis.

18 Apr 2025

Legal challenge puts ACA’s preventive health services in jeopardy

A study by the Stanford Prevention Policy Modeling Lab (PPML) finds that almost 30% of privately insured individuals in the United States, or nearly 40 million people, use at least one of the free preventive health services guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

17 Apr 2025

Northwestern scientists develop rapid HIV test for point-of-care diagnosis

A team of Northwestern University scientists spanning disciplines have developed new technology that could lead to the creation of a rapid point-of-care test for HIV infection competitive with traditional lab-based HIV testing in a fraction of the time and without the need for a stressful wait while results are processed or confirmed in a clinical laboratory.

2 Apr 2025

Study explores how sex chromosomes and hormones influence immune responses

Women have a higher proportion of key immune cells between puberty and menopause, which may be linked to the sex hormone estrogen and explain why they are less susceptible to certain infectious diseases than men, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL.

27 Mar 2025