Flor
PUJOL

PROJECT

Addressing hepatitis B and D virus infection as a global health problem, with emphasis on prevention

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a health problem associated to cirrhosis and liver cancer (LC). HBV-infected persons can be co-infected with hepatitis D virus (HDV), associated with a more severe disease. There is not an efficient antiviral treatment to eradicate HBV or HDV infections, but an effective and safe vaccine against HBV, also effective against HDV, is available. If HBV infection is detected readily, there are therapeutic options to prevent the occurrence of complications. The pandemic of COVID-19 had shown the importance of promoting adequate information and divulgation of the importance of preventive measures, to fight against infodemia. It is known that vaccine hesitancy is also common for other vaccines, such as the one against hepatitis B. The aim of this project is to address hepatitis B and D infection as a global health problem, with emphasis on prevention, by evaluating hesitancy to HBV vaccination, and combined strategies for prevention of the development of liver cancer.

BIOGRAPHY

Flor H. Pujol was born in Venezuela, and performed all her studies in Venezuela: Bachelor in Biology at Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela. Magister Sc. and Philosophus Sc. in Biochemistry, at Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC). She is at present full Professor at IVIC, Member of the Venezuelan Academy of Sciences. She is a regional leader on molecular epidemiology and evolution of hepatitis viruses and HIV, and more recently in SARS-CoV-2.