Hepatitis B virus treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma patients prolongs survival and reduces the risk of cancer recurrence.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and HBV-related liver disease are estimated to affect about 240 million people worldwide. Now that a vaccine is available, the number of new HBV infection cases has plummeted. Yet, there are still regions with very high incidence of HBV.

Review of patients with hepatosteatosis and chronic hepatitis C.

We analysed a HCV RNA positive population with varied steatosis index admitted at Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Department, Medical University of Wroclaw in terms of existing abnormalities in biochemistry parameters, anthropometric differences as well as the antiviral therapy outcomes.

Prevention of hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation.

Over the last decade significant improvement in patient and graft survival has been observed after liver transplantation for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease, mostly because of efficient prophylaxis against hepatitis B reinfection. This review discusses different approches in prevention of hepatitis B recurrence in liver recipients including new concepts as vaccination against hepatitis B after liver transplantation. Based on available data combined prophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and lamivudine is currently recommended prophylaxis for HBV recurrence after liver transplantation.

[Zinc status in ex-intravenous drug users infected by HIV, without clinical presentation of AIDS].

We prospectively studied the serum zinc status and development of HIV infection in HIV infected ex-intravenous drug users (IDUS). It was prospective study of 75 persons (53 HIV infected persons, 22 controls). All patients in this group were observed and examined at baseline and every 3 months.

[Autoimmune liver diseases and overlap syndromes--overview of past and present reports].

Autoimmune liver diseases are unique among other liver diseases mainly for its unknown pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis. Within their natural course strong correlation between clinical view and serologic markers (autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis) or X-ray image abnormalities (primary sclerocholangitis) are observed. Significant diagnostic progress, recently seen, revealed major discrepancies in diagnosing and management of classic types of the diseases, suggesting co-association of their symptoms.

[Possibility of persistent replication of HBV in patients with serological evidence of virus elimination].

Hepatitis B virus infection remains a major epidemiological health problem worldwide, due to the high prevalence (350 mln new cases per year) and clinical consequences of this infection including chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. Two cases of patients with clinical symptoms of chronic hepatitis B without traditional serological markers, pointing to active hepatitis B viral replication, were presented. The diagnosis has been confirmed by molecular methods, typical histopathology of liver biopsy specimens, and biochemical improvement after lamivudine treatment.