Recommendations for the management of acute hepatitis B: position paper of the Italian Society for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (SIMIT).

Purpose: To develop recommendations for the management of acute hepatitis B by the Italian Society for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases.

Methods: Development of the recommendations divided into three levels of evidence according to the GRADE system: A (high), B (medium) and C (low experts opinion), together with three recommendation levels: 1 (strong), 2 (medium), 3 (weak).

Results: The treatment with antivirals is in selected cases the mainstay of management of severe acute hepatitis, and should be started as a matter of urgency in order to prevent death.

Conclusions: These recommendations are meant to provide the rationale and practical indications for the management of acute hepatitis B (AHB).