Anti-idiotype reagents that recognize a common idiotype associated with the combining site of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) were used to manipulate the immune response to hepatitis B surface antigen in BALB/c mice. The injection of antibodies to the idiotype before antigenic stimulation resulted in an increase in the number of cells secreting immunoglobulin M antibodies t...

Antibodies to influenza virus and human immunodeficiency virus are detectable in B cells during the early stages of the immune response, prior to their occurrence in plasma. To investigate similar phenomena in a model of immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, medical students in Ghana were screened for HBV markers, HBV surface (HBs) antigen (HBsAg), and HBV core antibodies (ant...

Chiang Mai is a province in northern Thailand that started a vaccination program for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in 1989. In this paper, we report the long-term efficacy of this program. Of children aged 4-9 years, 65.7% had a complete course and 3.8% had an incomplete vaccination course. Urban schoolchildren had higher percentage of HB vaccination than rural schoolchildren (89.1% vs 46.9...

Cross-idiotypic specificity has been demonstrated between antibody populations of different specificities using antibodies directed toward human sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS). A site-specific antibody directed toward the beta6-position of HbS, anti-Val, was used to elicit an anti-idiotypic response in rabbits. Using this anti-idiotypic serum, idiotypic cross-reactivity was demonstrated between a...

The reactivation of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) following systemic chemotherapy reportedly caused acute liver dysfunction as a fatal complication. HBV sometimes occurs even after cessation chemotherapy, especially in patients with hematological malignancies. A retrospective survey surface (HBs) antigen-negative cancer HBs and/or HBc antibodies was conducted by multidisciplinary team to determin...

High-affinity monoclonal IgG and IgM antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) have been prepared and their functional capabilities explored by means of solid-phase radioimmunoassays. 125I-labeled HBsAg binding studies indicated that monoclonal IgM antibodies against HBsAg (anti-HBs) coupled to a solid-phase support quantitatively bound more HbsAg at a faster rate than conventionally pr...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B and schistosomiasis are most prevalent in Africa and Asia, and co-infections of both are frequent in these areas. The immunomodulation reported to be induced by schistosome infections might restrict immune control of hepatitis B virus (HBV) leading to more severe viral infection. Vaccination is the most effective measure to control and prevent HBV infection, but there is ...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still reported from adult hemodialysis units. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of anti-HBs antibody in hemodialysis patients and the correlation between levels of anti-HBs antibody with other factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibodies level in 119 hemodialysis patients were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorb...

The protective anti-HBs titres were examined six-year post-immunisation with the Brazilian recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. After the primary vaccination, all adolescents (n = 89) responded with protective anti-HBs titres and had a geometric mean titre (GMT) of 4031.8 mIU/mL. In 2010, 94.5% maintained protective anti-HBs (> 10 mIU/mL) antibodies, with a GMT of 236.0 mIU/mL. A positive correlati...