Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections in Belgium: similarities and differences in epidemics and initial management.

Introduction: Nationwide studies comparing patients with hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infections are mandatory for assessing changes in epidemiology.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare epidemiological data and initial management of newly diagnosed patients with persistent HBV (HBsAg positive) or HCV (detectable HCV RNA) infection in Belgium.

Patients And Methods: Data were extracted from two Belgian observational databases.

HBV infection in Belgium: results of the BASL observatory of 1,456 HBsAg carriers.

Introduction: Nationwide studies are mandatory to assess changes in the epidemiology of HBV infection in Europe.

Aim: To describe epidemiological characteristics of HBsAg-positive patients, especially inactive carriers, and to evaluate how practitioners manage HBV patients in real life.

Methods: Belgian physicians were asked to report all chronically infected HBV patients during a one-year period.

Large spectrum of liver vascular lesions including high prevalence of focal nodular hyperplasia in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia: the Belgian Registry based on 30 patients.

Objectives: We report the Belgian Registry of 30 patients (19 women and 11 men) with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and liver involvement.

Results: Twenty-three patients (77%) were asymptomatic. Within the seven symptomatic patients (23%), four suffered from high output cardiac failure, two died before liver transplantation and one was transplanted.