Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) was found in 9.2% of 1,186 pregnant women from Gabon, of whom 10.1% had the HBe antigen and 89.9% had anti-HBe antibodies. Antibodies to the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) were found in 15.6% of the HBsAg-positive women. The HBV strains were of the A3 and E genotypes. The HDV strains belonged to HDV clades 1 and 8. These results provide clear evidenc...

Immune-stimulating complexes (iscoms) have been prepared containing the major S gene products (HBsAg) of the hepatitis B virus genome. Immunization of BALB/c mice with a single dose of hepatitis B iscoms in saline resulted in a high titre antibody response to HBsAg. In contrast, the original HBsAg preparation required an adjuvant to produce equivalent amounts of antibody. Analysis of sera from ...

BACKGROUND There is little information about the effect of infliximab on the clinical course of liver disease in Crohn's disease patients with concomitant hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Theoretically, immunosuppression induced by infliximab will facilitate viral replication which could be followed by a flare or exacerbation of disease when therapy is discontinued. There are no specific reco...

A family of antigens, referred to collectively as e antigen (eAg), has been detected in sera of some individuals with liver disease who test positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Studies on eAg partially purified by affinity chromatography on insolubilized antibodies to eAg revealed the following: (i) eAg has the physicochemical and immunologic properties of an immunoglobulin, predominantly...

Result: Thirty-one patients (48.4%) were diagnosed with hemophilia A,eighteen patients (28.1%) had von Willebrand disease, eleven patients (17.9%) had Hemophilia B and four patients had other factor deficiencies. Elevenpatients with Hemophilia A and one patient with Hemophilia B had severe disease. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection was 5%. All patients were negative for hepatitis B ...

BACKGROUND We have constructed and clinically evaluated a hypoallergenic vaccine for grass pollen allergy, BM32, which is based on fusion proteins consisting of peptides from the IgE binding sites of the major grass pollen allergens fused to preS (preS1+preS2), a domain of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) large envelope protein which mediates the viral attachment and entry. Aim of this study was the...

BACKGROUND Five to ten percent of immunocompetent persons fail to develop a protective immune response to hepatitis B vaccination, and are defined non-responders (NR). We investigated the immune response to intradermal hepatitis B vaccination after pre-treatment of the skin with the TLR7 agonist imiquimod. METHODS Twenty-one non-responders (anti-HBs <10 IU/l after at least 6 intramuscular hep...

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of HIV, Hepatitis B and syphilis amongst inmates during the time period 1998-2001. MATERIALS AND METHODS Descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out at 6 prisons using a volunteer sample of 1773 inmates. Blood samples were gathered and analysed using enzyme linked immunoassays (ELISA) and RPR screening tests to identify the presence of HIV antibodies, ...

Introduction: Hepatitis B and C are major health problems in many countries, especially developing areas. The frequency of hepatitis B is less than 0.8%, and chronic hepatitis C is less than 0.5% in the general population of Yazd in the center of Iran. Large vehicle drivers have some risk factors for acquiring hepatitis B and C infection. This is important because viral hepatitis complications,...

The temperature at which the coupling of antigen to erythrocytes takes place is an important factor in the passive hemagglutination test for hepatitis B antibody. Erythrocytes sensitized at 16 C are much less sensitive for the detection of antibody than are those sensitized at 22 to 41 C.