The World Health Organization has issued guidelines for the first time
for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection, according to a
news release from the organization.
“Deciding who needs treatment for hepatitis B depends on a number of factors,” Stefan Wiktor, MD,
leader of the WHO’s Global Hepatitis Program, said in the release.
“These new guidelines, which give treatment recommendations that rely on
simple, inexpensive tests, will help clinicians make the right
decisions.”
The guidelines, entitled “WHO guidelines for
the prevention, care and treatment of persons living with chronic
hepatitis B infection,” lay out a simplified approach to the care of
people living with chronic HBV,
particularly in settings with limited resources, according to the
release. Important recommendations mentioned in the release include: the
use of a few simple non-invasive tests to assess the stage of liver
disease to identify who needs treatment; prioritizing treatment for
those with cirrhosis; use Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, Gilead
Sciences) or Baraclude (entecavir, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries) for
the treatment; and monitor patients for early detection of liver cancer
to determine if treatment is working and if treatment can be stopped.
Labels: HBV Guidelines, WHO