Anti-viral Agents in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Clinicians, basic scientists and members of the pharmaceutical industry from major centres all over the world were drawn together to attend this symposium, to discuss the epidemiology and biology of and the therapeutic approaches to one of the most important of infectious diseases. Over the past decade, interest has grown in the use of antiviral agents in chronic hepatitis B virus Infection. An encouraging aspect of the symposium was that the current studies are now far better designed, with adequate numbers and appropriate randomisation. In the late seventies and early eighties, when interferon was becoming less available, and the effects of long-term usage of it as an antiviral agent in chronic hepatitis B were being recognised, other antiviral agents, such as adenine arabinoside and acyclovir were coming under close inspection, and their role in current practice is well covered in this book.