Modelling the Dynamics of Anti-HBV Infection Therapy with Chinese Herbs

Effective treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients aims to prevent progression of chronic hepatitis B to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and eventually death. The use of mathematical modelling to explain the anti-HBV infection therapy has made a significant contribution for understanding the dynamics of host cells, viruses, the immune system. Chinese herbs are playing important roles for anti-HBV infection treatment. Recently a new type of Chinese herbs (NTCH) has been proved to be effective for anti-HBV infection therapy. Based on a patient´s anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection therapy clinical data with the NTCH and our previous modified basic virus infection model, a new differential equation model with an immune variable is set up. The numerical simulations of the model show that the evolution of the HBV DNA of the model is agreement with in the patient´s clinic plasma HBV DNA levels. The model predicts that it needs to prolong the treatment time to 4.3 years to eliminate NTCH the HBV virus in the patient´s infected hepatocytes. Otherwise earlier cessation of the therapy will make the patient´s HBV DNA levels return rapidly.