Resumen

ALFONSO RUIZ, Octavio Lorenzo  y  DEL ROSARIO QUIJANO, Massiel. Hepatitis B: Una problemática mundial. Rev cubana med [online]. 2003, vol.42, n.4. ISSN 0034-7523.

Is is considered that the virus causing hepatitis B is a serious health problem for world population nowadays, since despite existing a preventive vaccine against this disease, it is reported an amazing increase of the number of cases carrying the virus. Besides, it is one of the main causes of fulminant hepatic failure, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Taking into account this problem, it is recommended the use of some drugs, such as interferon and lamiduvine that are well accepted in medical practice, although the response of the patients to these drugs tends to be variable. This, obviously, has produced a revolution in the world pharmaceutical industry that is focused on the obtention and development of new products that generate temptingly a better response among those patients carriers of the disease, allowing to prevent the indication of liver transplantation.

Palabras clave : HEPATITIS B [drug therapy]; HEPATITIS B VIRUS; INTERFERON -ALPHA [therapeutic use]; LAMIVUDINE [therapeutic use].