conclusions genotype d was the main genotype detected in romanian patients with chronic hbv infection. genotype d presented both bcp and pc mutations more frequently. results we detected two hbv genotypes; a (8.1%) and d (60.5%), and a mixture of genotypes a and d (31.4%) (p < 0.001). basal core promoter (bcp) a1762t/g1764a and precore (pc) g1896a mutations were detected in these romanian patie...

BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The major challenges for current therapies are the low efficacy of current drugs and the occurrence of drug resistant HBV mutations. RNA interference (RNAi) of virus-specific genes offers the possibility of developing a new anti-HBV therapy. Recent reports have shown that lentiv...

BACKGROUND & AIMS In long-term responder patients, it is unclear whether lamivudine (LAM) monotherapy should be continued or switched to a high-genetic-barrier analogue. This study aims at assessing LAM efficacy over a 5-year period and the residual risk of drug resistance. The rate of HBsAg clearance and LAM long-term safety profile were also evaluated. METHODS One hundred and ninety-one pat...

BACKGROUND Presence at the same time of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies (HBsAg/Ab) is an entity sometimes encountered in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) carriers. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to characterize such serological profiles and to assess the reliability of serological marker quantification by three commercially available assays in this setting. STUDY DESIGN Among 2578 CHB identified...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Conflicting findings on the possible association between hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity and atherosclerosis have been reported. We examined the association between HBsAg seropositivity and cardiovascular diseases in a cohort of Koreans with a high prevalence of hepatitis B viral infection. METHODS Men (N=521 421) aged 30 to 64 years were catego...

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is defined as presence of HBV DNA in the liver regardless of serum HBV DNA detectability in HBsAg-negative patients. Occult HBV infection is not uncommon in Korea because the prevalence of occult HBV infection depends on the HBsAg carrier rate. The underlying mechanisms for occult HBV infection is not fully understood yet, but both viral and host factors...

Previously, we identified human liver endonexin II (EII) present on human hepatocyte plasma membrane as a specific hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) binding protein. We also showed the spontaneous development of anti-idiotypic (anti-HBsAg) antibodies in rabbits immunized with EII and in chicken immunized with the F(ab')2 fragment of rabbit anti-EII IgG. These findings suggest the existence of...

One hundred eight patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent serologic testing for HBsAg, antibodies to HBs (anti-HBs), HBc (anti-HBc) and HCV (anti-HCV), and an assay for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Ten (9.3%) of the 108 patients were positive for HBsAg and 96 (88.8%) were positive for anti-HCV. Both HBsAg and anti-HCV were present in 4 (3.7%...

Thirty-five patients with haemophilia A were studied clinically and serologically between 1971-2 and 1975-6 for evidence of hepatitis B infection. One patient suffered from clinical hepatitis B, and a further eight patients showed antibody responses to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) consistent with exposure to HBsAg during this period. No evidence for HBsAg exposure was found in 14 patient...

OBJECTIVE To construct and identify multi-gene recombinant expression vector pcDNA3-HBsAg-p30-ROP2. METHOD Primers were designed according to the gene sequences of restriction enzyme cutting site of recombinant pcDNA3-p30-ROP2 and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The target fragment of HBsAg was amplified and cloned to expression vector pcDNA3-p30-ROP2 by restriction enzyme digestion and ...