{"id":7885,"date":"2026-06-03T08:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T23:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/communitynews\/?p=7885"},"modified":"2026-06-02T11:55:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T02:25:56","slug":"functional-cure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/communitynews\/2026\/06\/functional-cure\/","title":{"rendered":"Hep B Functional Cure \u2013 a plain language explainer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There has been a lot of talk about a functional cure for hepatitis B. What exactly does that mean? And how does that affect someone who\u2019s living with chronic hepatitis B? Most of the information in this post was presented by Associate Professor Thomas Tu<\/a> at a recent World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) webinar<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hepatitis B is inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viruses straddles that space between living and non-living. They don\u2019t convert food into energy or reproduce by themselves. Yet, like a seed, given the right environment and conditions, they survive, replicate and multiply in numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As far as viruses go, the hepatitis B virus is a stubborn one \u2013 notoriously hard to get rid of completely. This is because the virus inserts its DNA into the nucleus of the host liver cell, hiding from the body\u2019s immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chronic Hepatitis B<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nine out of ten adults infected by hepatitis B are able to clear it naturally within six months. The numbers are reversed for children where only one in ten infected, can clear the virus and the remaining nine go on to have chronic hepatitis B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For people who clear the virus naturally, even though the hepatitis B DNA remains in the host liver cells, the virus is dormant, in other words, it is inactive and doesn\u2019t make copies of itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An infection is considered chronic (i.e. long-term) if the virus is still detected in the blood after six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cycle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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used with permission from A\/Prof Thomas Tu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chronic hepatitis B goes through stages where the immune system becomes recognises the infected cells and becomes active. After its activity has reduced the level of virus in the body, the immune system quietens down. This slowing down of the immune system then allows the remaining virus cells to become active and start making copies again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This increase the number of infected cells, and in turn reaches a level where the immune system kicks in again, starting another cycle of inflammation and liver damage, increasing liver cirrhosis and the risk of liver cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current treatments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Current treatments for chronic hepatitis B reduce viral replication and keeps viral load low. With lower level of virus, liver damage (cirrhosis) slows down and this reduces the risk of developing liver cancer. For most people, it is a lifelong treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current treatment is akin to a crop duster spraying \u201cpesticides\u201d to stop the growth of the seeds. But it doesn\u2019t do anything to the virus already there. This form of treatment stops new cells from being infected but the infection is still present. If treatment stops, the virus will spread again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Used with permission from A\/Prof Thomas Tu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Drawbacks of these therapies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n