The role of antiviral treatment in acute hepatitis B

Acute hepatitis B was decreasing after the policy of global hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination in Taiwan. However, sporadic cases of acute hepatitis B were still encountered in our daily practice. Non-vaccination, non-response or poor response to current hepatitis B vaccine may be the cause. In addition, immune-selected or antiviral selected mutant strain may also cause new HBV infection in post-vaccination era. Studies for acute hepatitis B are not as much as for chronic hepatitis B. What is the role of antiviral agent in treating acute hepatitis B? Articles involved antiviral treatments for acute hepatitis B were reviewed. These studies showed antiviral agent may be beneficial in severe acute hepatitis B. But antiviral agent may play no role for non-severe form because it may interfere normal immune reaction and also impair anti-HBs formation.