Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is one type of hepatitis – a liver disease- caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B spreads by contact with an infected person's blood, semen or other body fluid. An infected woman can give hepatitis B to her baby at birth.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that is spread when contact is made with blood or blood products from an infected individual.

Hepatitis B Structure: Capsid Flexibility and Function

Hepatitis B Prognosis

Hepatitis B Diagnosis

Hepatitis B Mechanisms

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D

Hepatitis B Treatment

Hepatitis B Prevention

Is Hepatitis Preventable?

Hepatitis B Symptoms

Closed Circular DNA and Hepatitis B Infection

Hepatitis B Immunization

Latest Hepatitis B News and Research

New viral library helps scientists study thousands of proteins

To prevent viruses from sickening or killing us - whether it's an individual case of hepatitis B or a COVID pandemic - it's crucial to understand how the proteins they make initiate changes in our bodies that allow them to flourish.

11 Jul 2026

Global cancer cases projected to reach nearly 35 million by 2050

Millions of people are facing physical, emotional and financial toll of cancer, a disease that claims more than 26 000 lives every day, according to a report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO).

9 Jul 2026

Strategic healthcare interventions bring Japan close to eliminating hepatitis

Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) are viral infections that can lead to health conditions such as cirrhosis, cancer, and potentially death if unmanaged. HBV can be transmitted through sexual contact, blood exposure, and mother-to-child transmission, while HCV is primarily transmitted through blood-to-blood contact.

25 Jun 2026

Targeted vaccination strategies strengthen global biosecurity and biosafety

Biosafety prevents biohazard risks to humans and the environment, biosecurity protects biological assets from misuse, and One Health is an interdisciplinary framework uniting human, animal, and environmental health—all core to global health protection.

17 Jun 2026

Chronic liver disease threatens millions across Europe, report finds

Europe is facing a growing chronic liver disease threat, according to a new Series published today in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, that engaged more than 75 co-authors from 30 countries and was led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation.

25 May 2026

Combination therapy improves response rates for chronic hepatitis B patients

The optimal management strategy for adults with immune-tolerant (IT) chronic hepatitis B infection remains undefined. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and predictive factors of a pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)-based treatment strategy in IT patients with chronic HBV infection.

22 May 2026

Optimized extended PCLS culture system extends tissue viability up to two weeks

Precision-cut liver slice (PCLS) technology has long been regarded as a promising ex vivo platform because it preserves the native multicellular architecture of liver tissue.

22 May 2026

Immune cell discovery reveals new pathway for hepatitis B treatment

Fifteen years ago, doctors in Europe noticed a remarkable thing happening in people with chronic hepatitis B infections. When patients went off their medications, the virus started to come back - and then some of the patients were cured.

13 May 2026

WHO report shows measurable progress in reducing global hepatitis infections

Global efforts to combat viral hepatitis are delivering measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the disease remains a major global health challenge, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report released today at the World Hepatitis Summit.

28 Apr 2026

Modeling the synergy of maternal screening and newborn HBV vaccination

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection acquired at birth or during early infancy can lead to lifelong health complications, including chronic liver disease. Despite longstanding recommendations for prenatal screening, an estimated 12% to 16% of pregnant individuals in the US are not screened for hepatitis B. This gap leaves a portion of newborns at risk for undetected exposure.

28 Apr 2026

Delaying hepatitis B birth vaccines increases infant infection risks

Delaying hepatitis B vaccination after birth increases infections among newborns and decreases their survival rates and quality of life, according to a new Cornell University study.

27 Apr 2026

Long-term study supports tenofovir alafenamide for chronic hepatitis B

Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has demonstrated comparable efficacy to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), with improved renal and bone safety, in Chinese participants with chronic hepatitis B enrolled in two Phase 3 trials.

24 Apr 2026

WHO congratulates The Bahamas for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV

In a landmark achievement for Caribbean public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates The Bahamas for becoming the latest Caribbean nation to be certified as having eliminated the mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

23 Apr 2026

What still drives childhood vaccine gaps in the United States

A nationwide analysis of provider-verified NIS-Child data from 2010 to 2023 found that US childhood vaccination coverage remained generally high but was consistently shaped by social and structural factors such as maternal education, income, insurance, language, and region. The study also showed that coverage of the combined seven-vaccine series rose over time, yet persistent disparities remained, especially for vaccines such as influenza, hepatitis A, and rotavirus.

19 Apr 2026

What the Health? From KFF Health News: A new CDC nominee, again

President Donald Trump this week nominated a former deputy surgeon general who has expressed support for vaccines to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

17 Apr 2026

AGA update calls for better surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma

A new update from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) urges stronger prevention efforts and better early-detection tools for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the leading cause of cancer-related death in patients with cirrhosis, and the third most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide.

17 Apr 2026

Liver cancer burden rising globally amid shift to metabolic risks

Primary liver cancer continues to pose a major global health challenge, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

15 Apr 2026

New blood test spots four cancers and other diseases by stripping away healthy DNA noise

MethylScan is a new low-cost cell-free DNA methylome test that removes much of the healthy blood DNA background, helping rare disease signals stand out more clearly. In more than 1,000 people, it showed strong performance for detecting four cancers, classifying liver diseases, and identifying organ-specific damage.

7 Apr 2026

Newsom picks a dogfight with Trump and RFK Jr. on public health

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a national public health leader by staking out science-backed policies in contrast with the Trump administration.

9 Mar 2026