It is estimated that worldwide 300 million individuals are chronically infected by the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), a cause for a great number of mortality due to chronic liver disease. It is also estimated that at least 30% of chronic hepatitis B patients will suffer from liver cirrhosis. Young patients, who are infected by HBV during infancy or childhood, have a higher incidence rate of cirrhosis compared to those who were infected as adults.1
Additionally, chronic HBV infection has also been acknowledged as the most important causative factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in areas with an epidemiologically high incidence rate of HBV infection. Beasley et al found that adult males with chronic HBV infection have a relative risk for HCC 200 times that of uninfected individuals.
