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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hyung Joon Yim

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Guest Editor

Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, 123 Jeokgeum-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan 15355, Korea
Interests: chronic hepatitis B; natural history; hepatocellular carcinoma; risk prediction; nucleotide analogues; new therapy; functional cure

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Clinical and basic research and management of chronic hepatitis B virus infection have progressed much in the last decade. In this Special Issue, “Research on Hepatitis B Virus: Past, Present, and Future”, we will review the natural history of chronic hepatitis B, current guidelines, recent basic and clinical research, and current and future therapies. Experts in these fields will be invited to introduce their data and opinions. We hope the upcoming issue will help you to better understand the disease and achieve further progress in your research.

Dr. Hyung Joon Yim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

chronic hepatitis B
natural history
hepatocellular carcinoma
risk prediction
nucleotide analogues
new therapy
functional cure

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

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15 pages, 1779 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceReview

Recent Insights into the Role of B Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Infections

by Zgjim Osmani and Andre Boonstra

Pathogens 2023, 12(6), 815; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12060815 - 08 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3026

Abstract

Chronic viral hepatitis infections, caused by the hepatitis B or C virus, are a major global health problem causing an estimated one million deaths each year. Immunological studies have classically focused on T cells, while B cells have largely been neglected. Emerging evidence, however, highlights a role for B cells in the immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B and C infections. B cell responses appear to be altered across different clinical phases of chronic HBV infection and across stages of disease in chronic HCV infection. These B cell responses show signs of a more activated state with a simultaneous enrichment of phenotypically exhausted atypical memory B cells. Despite the fact that studies show an activating B cell signature in chronic viral hepatitis infection, antibody responses to HBsAg remain impaired in chronic HBV infection, and glycoprotein E2-specific neutralizing antibody responses remain delayed in the acute phase of HCV infection. At the same time, studies have reported that a subset of HBV- and HCV-specific B cells exhibit an exhausted phenotype. This may, at least in part, explain why antibody responses in chronic HBV and HCV patients are suboptimal. Here, we summarize recent findings and discuss upcoming research questions while looking forward to how new single-cell technologies could provide novel insights into the role of B cells in chronic viral hepatitis infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hepatitis B Virus: Past, Present, and Future)

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Other

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18 pages, 2902 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Prevalence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hepatitis B Population within Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 39,050 Participants

by Ali A. Rabaan, Kizito Eneye Bello, Ahmad Adebayo Irekeola, Nawal A. Al Kaabi, Muhammad A. Halwani, Amjad A. Yousuf, Amer Alshengeti, Amal H. Alfaraj, Faryal Khamis, Maha F. Al-Subaie, Bashayer M. AlShehail, Souad A. Almuthree, Noha Y. Ibraheem, Mahassen H. Khalifa, Mubarak Alfaresi, Mona A. Al Fares, Mohammed Garout, Ahmed Alsayyah, Ahmad A. Alshehri, Ali S. Alqahtani and Mohammed Alissa Show full author list Hide full author list

Pathogens 2023, 12(10), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12101220 - 06 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1251

Abstract

Background and aim: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant complication of hepatitis B and still poses a global public health concern. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide adequate details on the prevalence of HCC in the HBV population within Southeast Asian countries. Method: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) criteria, a thorough search for literature discussing the prevalence of HCC in the HBV population within southeast Asia was performed. Eligible studies were subjected to a meta-analysis utilising a DerSimonian and Laird approach and a random effect model. A protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023423953). Result: Our study meticulously recovered 41 articles from seven countries in Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. A total of 39,050 HBV patients and 7479 HCC cases in southeast Asia were analysed. The pooled prevalence of HCC in HBV cases within southeast Asia was 45.8% (95% CI, 34.3–57.8%, I² = 99.51%, p < 0.001). Singapore (62.5%, CI: 42.4–79.1) had the highest pooled prevalence of HCC in the HBV population compared to Vietnam, with the lowest estimate (22.4%, CI: 9.9–44.9). There was a drop in the pooled prevalence of HCC in HBV from 2016 until now (37.6%, CI: 19.2–60.5). Conclusion: The findings of this review reveal a high pooled prevalence of HCC in the HBV population and therefore stir the need for routine screening, management, and surveillance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hepatitis B Virus: Past, Present, and Future)

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