The systematic screening of 253 children with transfusion-dependent homozygous beta-thalassaemia revealed a high incidence of hepatitis B virus markers. The highest frequencies of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were found in the group of patients with the smallest number of transfusions, while the highest frequency of antibody to hepatiti...

The seroepidemiology of hepatitis B was studied in Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert Islands). Six hundred and two (98%) of the population studied showed evidence of current or previous infection. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen was 31% (188/615) and of the e antigen was 9% (58/615). Infection was acquired early in life, and the prevalence of both antigens declined with age. The rate...

Asymptomatic hepatitis B infection is characterized as a type of hepatitis in which hepatitis B surface antigen is present in the patient's peripheral blood despite the absence of clinical symptoms. Previous studies have shown that a particular genotype may effect clinical manifestations of hepatitis B infection; hence, the aim of the current study was to determine the frequency of hepatitis B ...

Fulminant hepatic failure occurred in an 11 week old baby of a Caucasian mother who was hepatitis B surface antigen positive, B e antigen negative, and B e antibody positive. Infants of hepatitis B e antigen positive mothers receive immunoprophylaxis against hepatitis, unlike those born to mothers who are B e antibody positive.

Transfusion of blood and blood preparations is indispensible in modern medicine, and the processes of delivering a transfusion to a patient provide additional opportunity for risk, despite the remarkable progress. A spectrum of blood-borne infectious agents is transmitted through transfusion of infected blood donated by apparently healthy and asymptomatic blood donors. The diversity of infectio...

A 51-year-old man who was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative and positive for anti-hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and anti-hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), during rituximab therapy for chronic Lymphocytic leukemia, developed reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with hepatitis that proceeded towards hepatic failure and death in spite of lamivudine therapy. HBsA...

DNA coding for the core antigen from hepatitis B Virus (HBcAg) was amplified, cloned and propagated in E. coli. The core protein was expressed in E. coli and the product was readily detected by Western blot. This protein can be used as a diagnostic material in serum screening tests. To increase the level of expression of this antigen in bacteria, two plasmids were constructed in which the gene ...

We tested the frequency of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) among Egyptian healthcare workers (HCWs). We tested 132 HCWs for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) by ELISA. HCV RNA was measured by nested PCR in anti-HCV-positive HCWs. HBV-DNA-positive HCWs were subjected to HBV genotyping. We included 132 HCWs who were...