Hepatitis B virus evades innate immunity of hepatocytes but activates cytokine production by macrophages.
Xiaoming ChengYuchen XiaElisavet SertiPeter Daniel BlockMichelle ChungKazuaki ChayamaBarbara RehermannT Jake LiangPublished in: Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) (2017)
HBV behaves like a "stealth" virus and is not sensed by, nor actively interferes with, the intrinsic innate immunity of infected hepatocytes. Macrophages are capable of sensing HBV, but require exposure to high HBV titers, potentially explaining the long "window period" during acute infection and HBV's propensity to chronic infection. (Hepatology 2017;66:1779-1793).