HBV antigens quantity: duration and effect on functional cure

HBV is a DNA virus that coevolved with humans.1 Different from many other viruses that are detected only after amplification of their genetic material, HBV is characterised by the production of a progeny of infectious virions, but also of high concentrations (5–10 μg/mL) of viral proteins. These proteins are ‘byproducts’ of the synthesis of the proteins coded by HBV core and HBV pre-S1, pre-S2 and S genes, the building blocks of the...