Treatment of parenterally transmittable viral hepatitis

Abstract

The parenterally transmittable hepatitides B, D and C and their complications are a problem worldwide and also in Germany that should not be underestimated. Due to the estimated high gray area, a broad distribution, particularly by drug abuse, increasing prevalence due to immigration and a pandemic-related delay in the diagnostics, the identification of affected persons and therefore potentially infectious patients represents a great challenge for the healthcare system. Highly effective treatment concepts with practically no side effects and a tablet ingestion once daily are available for hepatitis B and also hepatitis C. For hepatitis B this involves long-term treatment for suppression of replication, whereas for hepatitis C virus elimination occurs within a few weeks. A new treatment concept with inhibition of virus uptake for treatment of hepatitis D first became available in September 2020. For all patients a long-term further monitoring is necessary when advanced liver damage or even liver cirrhosis occurs, especially for the exclusion of liver cell carcinoma.