乙型病毒性肝炎病毒的特征和生活史

Virological characteristics and life history of hepatitis B virus

乙型肝炎病毒是嗜肝病毒科的一员,可引起人类的急性和慢性肝炎,估计全球慢性感染该病毒的人数超过2.5亿。慢性感染者群体中,由于免疫介导的肝损伤可逐渐发展为肝硬化或肝细胞癌。这篇综述主要讲述乙肝病毒的病毒学、分子生物学、生命周期和细胞间传播的机制,这些环节是当前和未来抗病毒治疗乙肝的关键。

Hepatitis B virus is a member of the Hepadnaviridae family, which often causes acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. The estimates of chronical infection with the virus are more than 250 million people worldwide. In chronically infected populations, immune-mediated liver damage can lead to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma later in life. This review focuses on the virology, molecular biology, life cycle, and mechanisms of cell-to-cell transmission of hepatitis B virus, which are critical for current and future antiviral treatment of hepatitis B.