Viral Hepatitis and Liver Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Viral hepatitis is defined as an inflammation of the liver caused by viral pathogens that may cause severe hepatic disease. Its long-term sequelae, especially hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic failure, have been recognized as serious problems in all parts of the world, particularly in the Asia–Pacific region, Africa, Latin America and Southern Europe. In fact, the burden of viral hepatitis remains substantial—both global and liver-specific—despite recent advances in antiviral therapy and effective measures to prevent infection at least for some viral types. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B, C, D and E (commonly referred to as HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV and HEV). However, many other viruses can lead to viral hepatitis, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and flaviviruses. Even though their effects on the liver and the symptoms they produce can be similar, the severity and duration of the disease are determined by the specific virus that caused it.

This Special Issue of Viruses welcomes original research, short communications and review articles that will contribute to an improved understanding of aspects such as the epidemiology of new emerging viruses causing liver diseases; new, viral-hepatitis-related molecular mechanisms of the immune response and of liver damage (including, but not limited to, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma); and other relevant topics relating to viruses with proven liver toxicity (such as cutting-edge developments in their diagnosis, transmission or therapeutics).

Dr. Carlo Smirne
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• chronic viral infection
• viral hepatitis
• liver fibrosis
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• hepatitis B virus
• hepatitis C virus
• hepatitis delta virus co-infection
• hepatitis E virus
• flavivirus
• molecular mechanisms
• epidemiological investigations