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PubMedDate not supplied

Persistent infection of humans with hepatitis B virus: mechanisms and consequences.

Although most infections of humans with hepatitis B virus are self-limited, up to 10% of individuals experiencing primary infection remain persistently infected. These individuals are usually asymptomatic but may suffer episodic or progressive liver injury that can result in cirrhosis and liver failure. In addition, chronic infection with hepatitis B virus is, in certain settings, associated with the late development of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. This review summarizes the biological characteristics of persistent viral infection, with particular emphasis on host and viral factors that affect the outcome of primary infection.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatitis B virus reverse transcriptase and its many roles in hepadnaviral genomic replication.

The replication of hepatitis B virus DNA proceeds through reverse transcription of a pregenomic RNA intermediate, a reaction that takes place within viral nucleocapsids and is catalyzed by the viral P protein. P protein is involved in all phases of the reaction, serving as (a) a recognition factor for the selective encapsidation of the pregenomic RNA template; (b) the protein primer for the initiation of minus strand DNA synthesis; (c) the reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase involved in strand elongation; and (d) the RNaseH activity required to remove RNA template prior to plus strand synthesis. P protein is capable of site-specific RNA recognition, specifically binding to a stem-loop structure at the 5' end of pregenomic RNA. This interaction is required for both RNA encapsidation and reverse transcription.

Animals↗