Acute and chronic hepatitis and hepatitis-related diseases such as liver failure, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are among the most important causes for disabilities and death. Hepatocellular injury is due to a variety of agents including viruses, toxins, radiation, injury and drugs but also bacteria, parasites and autoimmune reactions. This volume reviews today’s knowledge about hepatitis with emphasis on comparative aspects between hepatitis in humans and animals, but also between different etiological agents. This particular viewpoint makes the book relevant for scientists from both human and veterinary medicine, gastroenterologists, pathologists, virologists and students of human and veterinary medicine.
Acute and chronic hepatitis and hepatitis-related diseases such as liver failure, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are among the most important causes for disabilities and death. Hepatocellular injury is due to a variety of agents including viruses, toxins, radiation, injury and drugs but also bacteria, parasites and autoimmune reactions. This volume reviews today’s knowledge about hepatitis with emphasis on comparative aspects between hepatitis in humans and animals, but also between different etiological agents. This particular viewpoint makes the book relevant for scientists from both human and veterinary medicine, gastroenterologists, pathologists, virologists and students of human and veterinary medicine.
A series of international symposia on viral hepatitis and liver disease has been held triannially, and called the "Olympics" of this research field. Our book presents the results of the eighth of these "Olympiads" which for the first time, was held in Asia (May 1993, Tokyo). Due to the rapid progress in research on both basic and clinical aspects of viral hepatitis and liver disease, the state of the art in this field is continually being updated, and our book provides a broad and in-depth survey of current work. The major topics in our book include molecular biology of the five known hepatitis viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, and HEV), clinical implications of genetic variants of HBV and HCV, interferon treatment of HCV-related liver disease, and worldwide epidemiology and control of viral hepatitis. New subjects not seen in previous books, such as genotypes of HCV, are also covered. Expanding knowledge about the heterogeneity of the HCV genome has revealed a great variety of genotypes as well as their association with host pathogenesis and their varying responsiveness to interferon therapy. The first promising results of efforts to develop a hepatitis C vaccine are also presented. Finally, compared with its predecessors, our book contains many more papers from Asian countries, where the prevalence of viral hepatitis and liver disease is the highest in the world.
The global epidemic of hepatitis B and C is a serious public health problem. Hepatitis B and C are the major causes of chronic liver disease and liver cancer in the world. In the next 10 years, 150,000 people in the United States will die from liver disease or liver cancer associated with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Today, between 800,000 and 1.4 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis B and between 2.7 and 3.9 million have chronic hepatitis C. People most at risk for hepatitis B and C often are the least likely to have access to medical services. Reducing the rates of illness and death associated with these diseases will require greater awareness and knowledge among health care workers, improved identification of at-risk people, and improved access to medical care. Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease. Although federal public health officials recommend that all newborns, children, and at-risk adults receive the vaccine, about 46,000 new acute cases of the HBV infection emerge each year, including 1,000 in infants who acquire the infection during birth from their HBV-positive mothers. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, which is transmitted by direct exposure to infectious blood. Hepatitis and Liver Cancer identifies missed opportunities related to the prevention and control of HBV and HCV infections. The book presents ways to reduce the numbers of new HBV and HCV infections and the morbidity and mortality related to chronic viral hepatitis. It identifies priorities for research, policy, and action geared toward federal, state, and local public health officials, stakeholder, and advocacy groups and professional organizations.
This book aims to bridge the widening rift between clinical and molecular aspects of viral hepatitis by providing an up-to-date overview of the field. The focus is practical and covers the limitations of clinical diagnosis, the interpretation of tests bas
Chronic viral hepatitis is discussed here in a multidisciplinary approach. The editors' goal was to assemble contributions from clinicians, laboratory physicians, epidemiologists, pathologists, and molecular biologists to provide a synopsis of all the important aspects of this disease. A key element in the chronic evolution of viral hepatitis is the persistent coexistence of a cytotoxic immune response and viral gene expression which is discussed in eleven articles on immune pathogenesis. The oncogenicity of hepatitis B virus at the molecular level and of hepatitis C virus at the epidemiological level is discussed in two chapters. The application of PCR for the detection of hepatitis viruses and their variants is a major topic of both practical and theoretical interest. The clinical significance of newly developed serological assays for diagnosis and prevention is discussed in depth by specialists from clinics, transfusion centers and virological laboratories. The therapy of chronic viral hepatitis is still unsatisfactory, but some slow progress is described in several articles. Furthermore, the volume has a special chapter on the often neglected topic of chronic hepatitis in childhood.
The 4th edition of Viral Hepatitis covers comprehensively the entire complex field of infections caused by all of the different hepatitis viruses, which affect many millions of people throughout the world with considerable morbidity and mortality. Howard Thomas and Arie Zuckerman are joined by Anna Lok from the USA and Stephen Locarnini from Australia as Editors. They have recruited leading researchers and physicians from many countries, who have produced an authoritative account of current knowledge and research on this important infection, including new insights into immune response to HBV and HCV. The result is a comprehensive account on all aspects of viral hepatitis, including rapid advances in the diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention of a complex infection, which in the case of hepatitis B, C and D may lead to severe complications including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The latest edition of Viral Hepatitis offers an essential resource of current information for hepatologists, gastroenterologists, infectious diseases specialists and other clinicians, researchers, public health physicians and National and International Health Authorities.
Cutting-edge collection of reviews and articles on HBV and HCV, as well as new emerging hepatitis viruses. Subjects include regulatory issues, epidemiology, emerging viruses, immunology, vaccines, pediatric HBV and HCV, genetics, pathology, viral diagnosis, cell systems, animal models, drug discovery and development, and prevention and treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma. Book jacket.
