Liver Disease Animation: Effects of Hepatitis B

When a person is chronically infected with hepatitis B, the virus multiplies and attacks the liver slowly over time. This can lead to liver disease, including fibrosis/cirrhosis, liver cancer and/or liver failure, all of which can impair the liver’s ability to function and regenerate.1

Select one of the images below to see a side-by-side animated video of how the liver of a chronically infected person, who is not on treatment, is attacked over time by the hepatitis B virus and how it would look if hepatitis B were attacking an everyday item, such as an orange or a potted plant.

Please click here to download flash player.

While there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B, there are treatments available that can help reverse liver disease, such as fibrosis/cirrhosis, as well as prevent more severe liver complications, including liver cancer and liver failure.2

References

1 The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry. Target Hepatitis – The Liver in Health and Disease. Available at http://www.abpi.org.uk/publications/publication_details/targethepatitis/liver.asp. Accessed August 2009
2 EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of chronic hepatitis B. Journal of Hepatology 2009; 50:227–242