HEALTH : Treatment for Hepatitis B Found

Interferon is the first treatment to relieve and even cure lingering hepatitis B infections, the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and one of the world’s biggest killers, researchers have found.

A study to appear in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine found that injections of the natural protein can stop the hepatitis B virus from destroying the liver in almost half of the patients who are chronically infected. One in 10 is cured.

Until now, there has been no treatment for the hepatitis B virus. While interferon clearly does not help everyone, having any therapy at all is considered to be an important step in controlling this infection.