Wolfram H. Gerlich Livres

Although the beginnings of hepatitis B therapy date back to 1976, it has only been in the last 10 years that it has gradually reached a satisfactory level of efficacy and dependency. According to the latest studies, many cases of chronic hepatitis B may need life-long therapy while others may reach, after several years, a kind of cure mediated by the host immune system. The main purpose of hepatitis B virus therapy is the prevention of the life-threatening late complications like liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but it is also increasingly gaining a place in severe acute hepatitis and in the prevention of reactivation or transmission of the infection in various settings. This special issue of Intervirology contains contributions from internationally renowned virologists and hepatologists who describe these additional applications. Furthermore, the remaining problems and the latest approaches to overcome them are discussed. Primarily addressing clinical virologists and hepatologists, this publication is also relevant for those who are interested in therapy and prevention of infectious diseases, including public health specialists.

In recent years the use of chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) as vaccines and gene vectors has gained increasing importance in both basic and applied research. In this publication 16 groups present their views and experimental data on the expression, morphogenesis, structure and immunogenicity of VLPs derived from hepatitis B virus core or surface protein, HIV gag protein, papillomaviruses, rhinoviruses, and various plant viruses. Classical expression systems of such particles in animal cell cultures are complemented by expression in yeast and transgenic plants. The advantages offered by certain chimeric particles, such as the induction of a cytolytic T lymphocyte immune response following administration of recombinant HBsAg, make VLPs promising candidates for new vaccines. DNA vaccination, a further novel mode of inducing protection against infectious agents, is also considered. Researchers and teachers in virology, immunology, molecular biology and infectious diseases will greatly appreciate this comprehensive survey of an important field of modern vaccine development.

Special Topic Intervirology 1995, Vol. 38, No. 1-2