Viral hepatitis (VH) is the leading cause of liver disease worldwide. Five hepatotropic viruses: hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, and HEV, resp.) all infect hepatocytes, triggering acute liver disease in symptomatic patients but displaying differing levels of pathogenicity. Although HAV, HBV, and HEV vaccines are available and direct antiviral agents against hepatitis C have been approved, the absolute burden and relative rank of VH increased in the last years. Considering the WHO recommendations for eradicating infectious hepatitis by 2030, joined efforts are required in order to identify biomarker signatures of VH to define common and unique responses for HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, and HEV and to define curative therapies with virus eradication as the ultimate goal. We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that explore the identification of signatures of immune control and disease progression in VH. We are interested in articles describing biomarkers of VH.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Characterization of biomarkers of the host immune response in acute, fulminant, and chronic VH
• Methods to identify biomarkers to predict outcome of VH
• Analysis of the genetic HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, and HEV as biomarkers of disease progression
• Analysis of the host genetic factors defining biomarkers of variability in disease outcome in the general population, high risk populations, and animal reservoirs
• Development of novel and reliable cell and animal models to investigate biomarkers controlling host-virus interaction in VH
• Studies to uncover the biomarkers of liver damage in chronically HBV-, HCV-, and HEV-infected immunosuppressed patients
• Role of metabolic and inflammatory components as biomarkers in the development of VH
• Studies of biomarkers as potential targets for developing curative therapies in VH