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Viruses
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Hepatitis Viral Infections, Pathogenesis and Therapeutics (2nd Edition)
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Hepatitis Viral Infections, Pathogenesis and Therapeutics (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1380

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Fan Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Interests: pathogenesis of DNA and RNA reverse-transcribing viruses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The understanding and treatment of hepatitis virus infections are rapidly advancing, fostering great optimism. Our Special Issue will address various aspects of hepatitis virus infections, including the following:

  • Epidemiology and transmission: Studies on the spread, control, risk factors, and prevention of HBV, HCV, HDV, HAV, and HEV.
  • Molecular and cellular biology: Research on viral life cycles, host–virus interactions, and pathogenesis mechanisms.
  • Immunology: Insights into immune responses, including innate and adaptive immunity, immune evasion, and vaccine development.
  • Clinical studies: Investigations into clinical features, disease progression, diagnosis, and management of hepatitis virus infections.
  • Therapeutics and vaccines: Development and evaluation of antiviral therapies, novel treatments, and preventive vaccines.
  • Liver disease and complications: Studies on the progression to cirrhosis, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
  • Public health and policy: Analyses of public health strategies, policy implications, and global health perspectives.

We invite researchers and clinicians to submit original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications. Publications of the first volume can be found here: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses/special_issues/Hepatitis.

Prof. Dr. Fan Zhu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hepatitis A virus (HAV)
  • hepatitis B virus (HBV)
  • hepatitis C virus (HCV)
  • hepatitis D virus (HDV)
  • hepatitis E virus (HEV)
  • chronic liver disease
  • chronic hepatitis
  • liver cirrhosis
  • hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
  • liver cancer
  • antiviral therapy

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2780 KiB  
Article
Evolutionary Insights of Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes and Profiles of Mutations in Surface and Basal Core Promoter/Pre-Core Genes Among HBsAg-Positive Patients in North-Central and Southwestern Nigeria
by Priscilla Abechi, Uwem E. George, Olawale A. Adejumobi, Umar Ahmad, Olamide Y. Aborisade, Arthur O. Oragwa, Oluremi I. Ajayi, Oluwasemilogo O. Akinlo, Christian Happi and Onikepe A. Folarin
Viruses 2025, 17(8), 1101; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17081101 - 10 Aug 2025
Viewed by 448
Abstract
In Nigeria, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant public health issue. The emergence of immune escape mutants (IEMs), basal core promoters, and precore (BCP/PC) mutants among asymptomatic individuals has enabled the continuous evolution of the virus in the country. In this [...] Read more.
In Nigeria, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant public health issue. The emergence of immune escape mutants (IEMs), basal core promoters, and precore (BCP/PC) mutants among asymptomatic individuals has enabled the continuous evolution of the virus in the country. In this study, we used Sanger sequencing of the S gene and the BCP/PC region to investigate the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and mutational profiles of HBV strains detected in two regions in Nigeria. A total of 178 HBsAg-positive samples confirmed by ELISA underwent viral DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the surface and BCP/PC genes, and 76 and 60 sequences were found to be exploitable for S and BCP/PC genes, respectively, which were used for HBV genotyping and mutational analysis. We detected various mutations in the major hydrophilic loop (target of neutralizing antibodies), including vaccine escape mutants (VEMs) (L127P/R, S140T/L, and G145A), HBV immunoglobulin resistance mutants (T131N, S143T, and W156R), and mutations previously reported in patients with reactivated infections (T115N, G159A/R, and F161Y). We also identified a high proportion of C1741T in 34/42 (81%) along with A1762T or G1764A mutation in 14/42 (33%) and 18/42 (43%) as the dominant variants in the BCP region. The predominant classical PC G1896A and G1899A variants were identified in 26/42 (62%) and 17/42 (40%) participants in this study. Two HBV genotypes were identified (A and E). However, HBV genotype E was the most frequently identified genotype, and is still the dominant strain circulating in Nigeria. We report the circulation of HBV IEMs and the preponderance of BCP and classical PC variants among asymptomatic carriers. Our findings suggest that the spread of these HBV mutant variants among asymptomatic carriers may have an impact on the effectiveness of diagnostic immunoassays and the success of HBsAg-based vaccinations. This highlights the need for robust surveillance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hepatitis Viral Infections, Pathogenesis and Therapeutics (2nd Edition))
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Review

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26 pages, 858 KiB  
Review
Updates on Recent Advancements in Hepatitis D Virus Treatment
by Ali Emre Bardak, Nazli Begum Ozturk, Merve Gurakar, Lynette Sequeira, Eda Yildiz, Enis Hikmet Ozmert, Ramazan Idilman and Ahmet Gurakar
Viruses 2025, 17(8), 1100; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17081100 - 10 Aug 2025
Viewed by 717
Abstract
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection remains a major cause of severe liver disease among hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients, contributing to accelerated progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Pegylated interferon-α remains the first-line therapy for chronic HDV infection in most cases. However, despite [...] Read more.
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection remains a major cause of severe liver disease among hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients, contributing to accelerated progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Pegylated interferon-α remains the first-line therapy for chronic HDV infection in most cases. However, despite its approval for HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, its use in HDV is largely driven by a lack of other options and is constrained by its limited efficacy, suboptimal durability of response, and a substantial side effect profile. Meanwhile, bulevirtide, an entry inhibitor, became the first agent to be approved for use in chronic HDV infections by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and several other therapies are currently being investigated as well. In this review, we provide updates on recent advancements in HDV treatment and novel therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hepatitis Viral Infections, Pathogenesis and Therapeutics (2nd Edition))
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