[Hepatitis B virus markers in the internist's practice]

Three various forms of contact or its consequences are recognized for hepatitis B virus and human body; acquired immunity to HBV, HBV persistence, HBV replication. Two forms of seroconversion (transfer of HBeAg into anti-HBe serum) are demonstrated. One of them occurs commonly and has a good prognosis, the other emerges rarely and runs a severe course likely to end in life-threatening complications.