OBJECTIVES To test the effectiveness of and tolerance to interferon-alpha 2b (INFa2b) in association with plasma exchanges for the treatment of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) related to hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS A prospective, non blinded, multicentre trial was carried out in which patients with multisystemic HBV-related PAN were included. Each patient received the association of INFa2b an...

OBJECTIVE In thalassemic children, HBV infection is common, thus immunization against HBV will reduce and prevent the rate of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of HBV immunization and the prevalence of HBV infection in beta-thalassemic children in Tehran. METHODS To assess the efficacy of immunization and determine the immune response of children with beta-thalasse...

Two hundred Asian and 100 each of African, Chinese, and Scottish children were screened for intestinal parasitic infestations, salmonellosis, brucellosis, hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg), and tuberculosis. There was a fairly high incidence of Giardia lamblia among Asian and Scottish children and of Trichuris trichiura among the Chinese. Hookworm ova were seen only in Africa children. There were no ...

BACKGROUND With the introduction of more potent immunosuppressive agents in inflammatory bowel disease, prevention of opportunistic infections has become necessary by introducing screening programs. Prevalence of the most important infectious agents may vary in different geographical areas. The aim of our study was to assess the immune status for hepatitis B, varicella, mononucleosis, and cytom...

BACKGROUND Occult HBV infection (OBI) is defined by the persistence of HBV in the liver without serum HBsAg and HBVDNA. It represents a life-threatening event during immunosuppressive chemotherapies. An OBI occurs in approximately 18% of HBcAb + patients. International guidelines suggest surveillance for HBV markers in immunosuppressed patients. In Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), the prevalence of ...

BACKGROUND A gap exists in the literature on celiac disease populations and the response to hepatitis B vaccination. OBJECTIVE To identify pediatric patients with celiac disease who received the primary hepatitis B vaccination and investigate their response to vaccine. DESIGN/METHODS Patients underwent blood draw for hepatitis B surface antibody titers. Patients with undetectable or non-pro...

Background: HBsAg sero-clearance with or without appearance of anti-HBs is considered to be a functional cure in chronic HBV infected individuals. However data regarding durability limited. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who had cleared during their follow up, either spontaneously on antiviral treatment. Results: Of the 270 infection, 15(5.5%) lost after median 60 months(9-110) u...

Since 1981, when the liver transplantation program was initiated at the University of Pittsburgh, we have been impressed with the prevalence of pancreatitis occurring following liver transplantation in patients transplanted for hepatitis B-related liver disease. To either confirm this clinical impression or refute it, the records of the 27 HbsAg+ patients and those of an additional 24 HbsAg- bu...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is well documented in individuals with cancer who receive certain cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapies including rituximab treatment. As a general rule, the risk is greatest upon withdrawal of chemotherapy. The risk ranges from approximately 20 to 50% among HBsAg-positive carriers. A 67-year-old man was diagnosed with inoperable multiple hepatocellular c...

OBJECTIVE Manual data-entry of handwritten laboratory test requests into electronic information systems has implications for data accuracy. This study sought to identify the types and number of errors occurring for handwritten serology test requests received from outpatient clinics. METHODS A 15-day audit at a serology laboratory in Sydney, Australia, compared the content of all transcribed s...