[Vaccination against hepatitis B: success and challenges]

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major global cause of liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
• Preventive vaccines, available since the 1980s, have greatly reduced HBV's impact where implemented.
• Despite vaccination success, a substantial number of individuals remain chronically infected.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current status of hepatitis B vaccination strategies.
• To discuss unresolved challenges in HBV prevention and treatment.
• To explore future perspectives for a global cure of hepatitis B infection.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on hepatitis B vaccines.
• Analysis of the effectiveness of current vaccination programs.
• Exploration of therapeutic vaccination strategies in conjunction with antivirals and immunomodulators.

Main Results:

• Preventive hepatitis B vaccination has proven highly effective in lowering disease prevalence and mortality.
• Chronic HBV infection persists in many individuals despite widespread vaccination efforts.
• Therapeutic vaccination presents a potential avenue for managing chronic infections.

Conclusions:

• While preventive vaccines are successful, a global cure for hepatitis B requires addressing the existing chronically infected population.
• Therapeutic vaccination, combined with other treatments, offers a promising future direction.
• Further research and development in vaccination are crucial for eradicating hepatitis B worldwide.