Prevention and management of drug resistance for antihepatitis B treatment

Emergence of drug resistance in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B negates treatment benefits. There is a lower chance for emergence of resistance for drugs with rapid and potent viral suppression and a high genetic barrier for resistant mutations. Measurement of viral load at 24 weeks' treatment to aid decision making is mandatory for patients receiving drugs that are associated with a higher resistance rate. Combination treatment with drugs that belong to different groups is associated with a lower chance of resistance. To ensure better control of viral replication in patients with drug resistance, the addition of another drug without an overlapping resistance profile should be given as early as possible, preferably at the time when genotypic resistance emerges. With such strategies, most patients can be maintained in clinical remission. However, because of the mechanism of viral persistence, research efforts should continue to anticipate and prevent the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains.