BACKGROUND Although body piercing and tattooing seem to be gaining popularity among a diversity of social and age groups, studies of these practices in general adolescent populations are scarce. This study establishes the prevalence of body modification (tattooing and body piercing) among high school students in grades 7-11 (aged 12 to 18). METHODS Data come from a 2002 in-school survey condu...

BACKGROUND Although published results are inconsistent, it has been suggested that tattooing and piercing are risk factors for HBV and HCV infections. To examine whether tattooing and piercing do indeed increase the risk of infection, we conducted a study among people with multiple tattoos and/or piercings in The Netherlands who acquired their tattoos and piercings in The Netherlands and/or abr...

Wall-thickness eccentricity is a major dimensional deviation problem in seamless steel tube production. Although eccentricity is mainly caused by abnormal process conditions in the cross-roll piercing mill, most seamless tube plants lack the monitoring at the hot piercing stage but only inspect the quality of finished tubes using ultrasonic testing (UT) at the end of all manufacturing processes...

BACKGROUND For many people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), the route of exposure, risk of transmission, and severity of associated liver disease are unknown. We studied these variables in people who donated blood voluntarily. METHODS Blood donors who tested positive for HCV antibodies on enzyme immunoassay were classified according to whether the results of a confirmatory second-ge...

BACKGROUND Viral hepatitis is a global issue. Among the hepatitis viruses hepatitis B and C are important in South Asia including Pakistan. There are various modes of transmission of these viruses. Vertical transmission is also gaining importance. Antepartum screening for HBV and HCV would help the infected women for appropriate antiviral therapy at appropriate time as well as for taking proper...

BACKGROUND: Transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is strongly associated with use of contaminated blood products and injection drugs. Other “non-parental” modes of transmission including sexual activity have been increasingly recognized. We examined risk factors for acquiring HCV in patients who were referred to two tertiary care centers and enrolled in an antiviral therapy protocol. METHODS:...

BACKGROUND Transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is strongly associated with use of contaminated blood products and injection drugs. Other "non-parental" modes of transmission including sexual activity have been increasingly recognized. We examined risk factors for acquiring HCV in patients who were referred to two tertiary care centers and enrolled in an antiviral therapy protocol. METHODS...

Background: Infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) during pregnancy have high rate of vertical transmission and adverse effect on both the mother and child. Infection at the prenatal age and infancy usually leads to chronic carrier of the viruses and understanding the epidemiology of these viruses could be valuable to take appropriate preventive measures. Hence, the ai...

I have recently had several young patients wearing enlarged plugs in their earlobes. This " gauging , " as it is called, is obtained by placing larger and larger gauge earrings, eventually ending with a plug the size of a wine cork or even as large as a Coke can. The history of serial enlargement traces back to ancient times. 1 This deformity is different than a through and through earlobe lace...