hepatic and biliary disorders
Hepatitis B, Chronic
Key Points
Acute hepatitis B becomes chronic in about 5 to 10% of patients overall; risk is highest at a young age (90% for infants, 25 to 50% for children aged 1 to 5 years, and about 5% for adults). The WHO estimates that about 257 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis B infection. Symptoms vary depending on the degree of underlying liver damage. Antiviral drugs can improve liver test results and liver histology and delay progression to cirrhosis but may need to be taken indefinitely; drug resistance has become less of a concern with newer drugs. Liver transplantation may be required in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B. 