Hepatitis B virus (HBV) currently infects more than 400 million people worldwide and they are at risk of developing chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The immune response to HBV- encoded antigens is responsible both for viral clearance and for disease pathogenesis during HBV infection. While the humoral antibody response to viral envelope antigens contributes to the clearance of circulating virus particles, the cellular immune responses to the envelope, nucleocapsid, and polymerase antigens were known to eliminate virus in infected hepatocytes through cytolytic as well as noncytolytic mechanisms. Liver injury could be initiated by an immune response against HBV, but mainly resulted from HBV non-specific lymphocytes and macrophages. There are growing evidences that T helper 1 memory T cells play a predominant role in suppressing viral replication mainly by IFN-gamma through noncytolytic antiviral mechanism. Elucidation of the immunological and virological basis for HBV infection may yield effective immunotherapeutic and antiviral strategies to terminate chronic HBV infection.
Humans ; Hepatitis B virus/*immunology ; Hepatitis B Antigens/immunology ; Hepatitis B/*immunology

Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Transcription, Genetic

Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

Amino Acid Sequence ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; classification ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Mutation

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology

Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology

Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been a major global cause of morbidity and mortality. The recognition of the problem led to a worldwide effort to reduce transmission of HBV through routine infant vaccination. HBV infection is the most common cause of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea. After hepatitis B vaccine era, seroprevalence of hepatits B surface antigen is decreasing, particularly in children. Hepatitis B vaccine is remarkably safe and shows high immunogenicity. Universal childhood immunization with three doses of hepatitis B vaccine in the first year of life is a highly effective method for prevention and control of hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B/*epidemiology/immunology/*prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood/immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines/immunology/therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology ; Humans ; Vaccination

Hepatitis B ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunologic Tests ; methods ; Virus Replication

Hepatitis B ; blood ; epidemiology ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans