Hepatology: a personal story.

When I first began my career in hepatology in October 1959, investigative and treatment measures for patients with liver disease were limited. It was not until the discovery of hepatitis B virus in 1967 and hepatitis C virus in 1989 that the specialty began to expand, particularly with the development of effective antiviral therapy. Phenomenal advances in the knowledge of immune reactions also led to advances in our understanding and treatment of autoimmune disorders affecting the liver and in the continued development of liver transplantation--a major success story. The new liver support devices are currently showing promise but on the negative side is the rising prevalence of alcohol-related liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.