Hepatitis B virus diagnostics: Anything new?

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a leading cause of liver related morbidity and mortality worldwide. The importance of early detection and accurate assessment of disease state and response to therapy is critical in the long term management of chronic HBV infection. In this chapter, we provide updates on the performance characteristics of more commonly used diagnostic assays while introducing the reader to newer tools that are pushing the envelope in improving the diagnostic assessment of HBV. These tools will be instrumental not only in the early detection of chronic HBV, but will improve the clinician's ability for monitoring response to antiviral therapies.