Model of viral lifecycle could help in finding a cure for hepatitis B
Tuesday, August 5, 2014 - 10:32
in Health & Medicine
A new technique sustains hepatitis B in liver cells, researchers have discovered, allowing for the study of immune response and drug treatments. Around 400 million people worldwide are infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV); of those, one-third will go on to develop life-threatening complications, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although there is an effective HBV vaccine, only around 50 percent of people in some countries where the disease is endemic are vaccinated. A complete cure for the disease is very rare, once someone has been chronically infected.