1. ¹Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
2. ²Infectious Diseases Unit, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
3. ³Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Correspondence: Professor Sharon R Lewin, Infectious Diseases Unit, Alfred Hospital, Level 2, Burnet Building, Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia. E-mail: s.lewin@alfred.org.au

Received 25 September 2006; Accepted 5 October 2006; Published online 28 November 2006.

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a non-cytopathic hepatotropic virus that can lead to severe liver disease including acute hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Successful clearance of the virus as well as the establishment of liver disease is largely driven by a complex interaction between the virus and the host immune response. In this review, the immunological events, including both the innate and adaptive immune response are discussed in the setting of both acute and chronic HBV infection and liver disease.