Chronic viral hepatitis remains one of the major medical problems
worldwide. Neither a cure nor eradication of this disease is in sight.
The chronic disease caused by hepatitis viruses type B, C and D is a
much greater problem than the acute disease caused by the same viruses
or by hepatitis viruses type A and E. Chronic viral hepatitis often
remains unrecognized until the patient develops decompensated liver
cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, unrecognized chronic
virus carriers are a persistent source of infection by sexual and other
close contacts as well as during many medical procedures. The viruses of
chronic hepatitis are very different from each other from a taxonomical
point of view, but they share many common pathogenic properties and they
often coinfect individuals. Six years ago Carlo De Bac, Gloria Taliani
(Rome) and I undertook an effort to bring together, under the auspices
of the European Society against Virus Diseases, clinicians, laboratory
physicians, epidemiologists, pathologists and molecular biologists whose
primary research interest is chronic viral hepatitis. The contributions
from these quite divergent participants to a meeting devoted solely to
chronic viral hepatitis were most stimulating and valuable. As a result
of the success of the first meeting in Fiuggi (Italy), a second followed
in Siena (Italy) 1990 and the recent third meeting was held in Pisa
(Italy). Most of the speakers expressed interest in publishing their
contributions in the form of a proceedings volume, as was done in the
case of the Siena meeting.
