Worldwide, two billion people have been infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), 360 million have chronic infection, and 600,000 die each year from HBV-related liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma. This comprehensive review of hepatitis B epidemiology and vaccines focuses on definitive and influential studies and highlights current trends, policies, and directions. HBV can be transmitted ver...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a novel hepatitis B vaccine, after increasing antigen concentration to 25 mug, in comparison to the reference vaccine. METHODS Single-blinded randomized trial comparing VrHB-IB (Instituto Butantan) and the reference vaccine (Engerix B(R), Glaxo Smith Kline). Volunteers aged 31 to 40 years were randomized to either experimental (n=216) or ...

Background and aims: Hepatitis B vaccination is the most successful way to prevent the virus infection. Serum concentration of vitamin D has recently been proposed as a novel predictor of response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis infection. The main target of this paper was to review the recent knowledge regarding the association between obesity and vitamin D level and immune respons...

The study evaluates knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of mothers regarding the immunization of 841 infants who attended public kindergarten in Cassino and Crotone, Italy. Overall, 57.8% of mothers were aware about all four mandatory vaccinations for infants (poliomyelitis, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B). The results of a multiple logistic regression analysis showed that this knowledge was ...

background and aims: dna constructs containing hcv antigens have become one of the vaccine candidates for induction of anti-hcv cellular and humoral immunity. in this study, we constructed a novel expressing vector harboring a fusion sequence derived from an overlapping fragment in the middle of ns3 and a truncated core fragment to avoid troubles reported to be associated with full gene express...

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are two common pathogens causing chronic hepatitis in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). With the acceptance of hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) screening, infected patients have been identified and isolated over the past 20 years. Consequently, hepatitis B is now being seen less frequently in dialysis units. Even though hepatitis B has become less of a probl...

The four main approaches to immunisation against hepatitis B are: vaccination of high risk babies; universal adolescent immunisation; universal infant immunisation; and vaccination of everybody. Universal antenatal screening would permit identification of carrier mothers and immunisation oftheir babies. Vaccination of adolescents would provide protection close to the time when risk of exposure ...

The four main approaches to immunisation against hepatitis B are: vaccination of high risk babies; universal adolescent immunisation; universal infant immunisation; and vaccination of everybody. Universal antenatal screening would permit identification of carrier mothers and immunisation oftheir babies. Vaccination of adolescents would provide protection close to the time when risk of exposure ...

understanding of the natural history of chronic hbv infection is useful for presenting the optimal management of chronic hbv infection. the aim of this study was to evaluate the natural history of chronic hepatitis b infection.in this cross sectional study, 219 untreated chronic hepatitis b patients from jan. 2010 to aug. 2012 were included. the subjects were classified in four groups based on ...