Main description:

Acute and chronic hepatitis and hepatitis-related diseases such as liver failure, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are among the most important causes for disabilities and death. Hepatocellular injury is due to a variety of agents including viruses, toxins, radiation, injury and drugs but also bacteria, parasites and autoimmune reactions.

This volume reviews today's knowledge about hepatitis with emphasis on comparative aspects between hepatitis in humans and animals, but also between different etiological agents. This particular viewpoint makes the book relevant for scientists from both human and veterinary medicine, gastroenterologists, pathologists, virologists and students of human and veterinary medicine.

Contents:

Hepatitis in the clinics - Treatment options.- Differential diagnosis of human hepatitis.- Comparative pathology.- Hepatitis B virus: Lessons learned from the virus life cycle.- Chronic hepatitis C: Portrait of a silent epidemic and the etiologic agent.- Hepatitis A infection.- Hepatitis E infection.- Bacterial infections of the liver.- Comparative hepatitis: Diseases caused by adult parasites or their distinct life cycle stages.- Autoimmune hepatitis in humans.- Hepatitis in dogs.- Hepatitis in horses.- The woodchuck model of hepadnavirus infection.- Hepadnaviruses have a narrow host range - do they?.- The liver as immune escape site for pathogens.- Drug candidates for the treatment of viral hepatitis.