Although the use of recombinant hepatitis B virus surface (HBsAg) protein vaccine has successfully reduced global hepatitis B infection, there are still a number of vaccine recipients who do not develop detectable antibody responses. Various novel vaccination approaches, including DNA vaccines, have been used to further improve the coverage of vaccine protection. Our previous studies demonstrat...

Background: The leading cause of mutations in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome is high rate nucleotide misincorporation during reverse transcription. Most were found within “a” determinant S gene’s major hydrophilic region (MHR). They resulted escape mutants due to amino acid changes MHR. However, outside MHR can also trigger mutants. Objectives: This study focused on further molecular studie...

BACKGROUND Passively acquired maternal antibodies in infants may inhibit active immune responses to vaccines. Whether maternal antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) in infants may influence the long-term immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine remains unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Totally 338 pairs of mothers and children were enrolled. All infants were routinely vac...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are major worldwide public health problems. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the seroprevalence and epidemiological profile of hepatitis B and hepatitis C, to determine the impact of the national vaccination programme against hepatitis B on the prevalence of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) ca...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are a global public health problem. Chronic hepatitis (CHB) infection is associated with an increased risk of cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In virus-infected liver cells, HBsAg produced in excess secreted into the blood, where it serves as marker for active infectivity. Currently, recombinant used HBV vaccination, develo...

BACKGROUND Fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) may contain antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg, anti-HBs). These anti-HBs may lead to a misinterpretation of the actual hepatitis B immune status. Furthermore, they may not only confer protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV), but may also favor the selection of HBsAg mutants. CASE REPORT We report a case of de novo HBV infection in a HBV-n...

Prevalence of hepatitis B (HB) markers, antibodies to human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1) and antibodies to human immune deficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) in prostitutes working in Fukuoka city were studied. Sera were collected from 237 prostitutes during January-September, 1986. Among them, 9 (3.8%) were HB virus surface-antigen (HBs Ag) positive, of whom, 3 were HBe antigen positive and the remaini...

Background: There is a controversy about the relation between anti-hepatitis B (anti-HBs) antibody level and obesity. We designed this study to compare the vaccine efficacy in obese/overweight and non-obese cases. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 242 obese/overweight and 85 non-obese individuals were participated. Cases were selected from a referral clinic for obesity and a referral hepa...

In a pilot study by field-screening in two different sauna baths, a day-sauna and a night-sauna, 318 homosexual men were investigated for syphilis and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and its antibody (anti-HBs). Of the 134 visitors to the day-sauna 35 1-o were seroreactive for syphilis, four (3%) carried HBsAg, and 95 (70' 9%) anti-HBs. Of the 184 visitors to the night-sauna 33' 2% were ser...

 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its sequelae which include cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is a major public health problem throught the world.The WHO strategy for effective control of HBV infection is vaccination with the surface antigen of virus(HBsAg).The results obtained from a large number of studies demonstrated that the vaccine induces a protective antibody resonse (anti-HB...