Detection of Hepatitis B Virus DNA in the Liver of Children with Chronic Hepatitis B by In Situ Hybridization and Its Relation to Other Viral Markers

The aim of the study was to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by in situ hybridization (ISH) with a 35S-labeled radioactive probe in frozen liver biopsy tissue sections of 63 hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive children. The results were compared to other markers of viral replication. HBV DNA was detected in 48 children. Of the 15 negative cases, four had hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg), 10 anti-HBe, and one neither HBeAg nor anti-HBe. Free HBV DNA in serum and liver was positive in one patient. Forty of the positive children were HBeAg- and six anti-HBe-positive; two were negative for both. Of 45 36 had HBV DNA in serum. In 38 of 47 HBV DNA and in 31 of 42 HBcAg could …

Radioimmunological determination of somatomedin B in healthy children and patients with HGH deficiency

In 192 boys and girls, aging from 1 month to 16 years, serum somatomedin B levels were performed by radioimmunoassay of Kabi Inc., slightly modified. In girls the mean value increased from the 1 st. month at the end of the second year of live from 10.5±6.2 to 19.2±9.2 mg/1, in boys at the same time from 10±3.9 to 20.3±6.2 mg/1. The values decreased in girls in the following years up to the age of 14-16 years to 13.7±7.5 mg/1; in the boys to 11.5±4.2mg/1. The beginning of the decrease was in girls two years earlier than in boys. To these values of normal children were compared the values of 8 patients with HGH deficiency. The mean of these cildren was 4.2 mg/1, significantly below the values…

Tombé dans l’eau ? Les découvertes de casques en milieu humide

Helmets drowned in water provide a powerful example of the long term phenomenon of European river finds. This article gives a diachronic general survey commenting on bronze age first metal helmets as well as on often neglected examples dating from historical periods. Finally, some significant observations are given which might motivate further research.

PRENATAL IDENTIFICATION OF A HETEROZYGOUS STATUS IN TWO FETUSES AT RISK FOR GLUCOSE–GALACTOSE MALABSORPTION

Glucose-galactose malabsorption (GGM) is an autosomal recessive disorder which presents with severe osmotic diarrhoea shortly after birth. Two proband siblings with GGM were previously demonstrated to contain a missense mutation (D28N) in the Na + -dependent glucose/galactose cotransporter (SGLTI) that accounts for the defect in sugar absorption. Prenatal screening for GGM was performed in two subsequent pregnancies in this large consanguineous family. The first exon of the SGLTI gene was PCR-amplified from genomic DNA and screened for the presence of the D28N mutation by EcoRV restriction digestion. The proband's sibling was heterozygous and a cousin was not a carrier of the D28N mutation.…

Hermann Müller-Karpe et l’âge du Bronze en France. Quelques remarques

DEFECTIVE JEJUNAL BRUSH BORDER Na+/H+ EXCHANGE IN LETHAL FAMILIAN PROTRACTED DIARRHOEA

The clinical spectrum of disease associated with the recently described defect in jejunal brush border membrane (BBM) Na+/H+ exchange remains poorly defined. We describe a further, lethal case of protracted diarrhoea in a child from a family in whom 2 previous siblings died of protracted diarrhoea at 2 and 11 months. The patient, a boy, was born at term weighing 2.9 kg and was admitted at 6d with profuse watery diarrhoea, severe dehydration and metabolic acidosis. Parenteral nutrition was started but the diarrhoea persisted, and he developed severe necrotising enterocolitis requiring an ileostomy. A high-output secretory diarrhoea persisted during nil by mouth (ileostomy fluid mmol/l: Na+ 1…

La religion de l'âge du Bronze en Europe tempéré

Congenital renal arteriovenous malformation (aneurysmal type) in childhood.

We report on a 9-year-old boy with a congenital renal arteriovenous fistula of the aneurysmal type, a form previously not observed in childhood. The clinical picture was unusual with severe arterial hypertension, excessive polyuria and decreased levels of serum sodium and chloride as main signs. Clinical and biochemical findings normalised after nephrectomy of the kidney involved.

Sonnenbarke und zyklisches Weltbild. Überlegungen zum Verständnis der spätbronzezeitlichen Ikonographie in Mitteleuropa

International audience

S3-Leitlinie „Prophylaxe, Diagnostik und Therapie der Hepatitis-C-Virus (HCV) -Infektion“ : AWMF-Register-Nr.: 021/012

Normes et variabilités au sein de la culture matérielle des sociétés de l’âge du Bronze : actes de la journée thématique de la Société préhistorique française, organisée avec l’Association pour la promotion des recherches sur l’âge du Bronze

International audience

Autour du "banquet" : modèles de consommation et usages sociaux

International audience

Selection of a precore mutant after vertical transmission of different hepatitis B virus variants is correlated with fulminant hepatitis in infants

The incidence of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) depends on the HBeAg/anti-HBe status of the mother. While children of HBeAg-positive mothers have a 90% probability of acquiring a chronic hepatitis B virus carrier state, babies of anti-HBe-positive mothers are more likely to develop fulminant hepatitis within the first 3 to 4 months of life. There is evidence that precore (pre-C) mutations of the HBV can be associated with fulminant hepatitis. The pre-C region was therefore examined in sera from nine infants with fulminant hepatitis after vertical transmission, one HBeAg-positive and seven anti-HBe-positive mothers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequence ana…

A major shift in Late Bronze Age metalwork production around 900 BC

Our traditional chronology systems hardly ever reflect cultural changes accurately and may even mask real moments of discontinuity. This is particularly true for the second part of the Late Bronze Age Urnfield Period where a radical change in iconography can actually be noticed around 900 BC. Within a very short period, the famous solar bird-boat iconography, which had widely developed over centuries and given rise to the elaborate and sophisticated ornamentation known on solid hilted swords from the 11th/10th century, takes a back seat and we can see a single new symbol coming to the fore, concentrating figurative representation in form of a singular vase-shaped build (Wirth S. 2021, 652-6…

Projet Collectif de Recherches « Nécropoles préhistoriques et protohistoriques de Passy (Yonne) » : Objectifs et premiers résultats concernant les datations et les architectures funéraires monumentales du groupe de Cerny

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Examples of Imagery in Ornementation on Late Bronze Age Weapons

International audience

The diagnostic significance of IgG cow's milk protein antibodies re-evaluated

The effect of different feeding regimens, notably the use of hydrolysed cow's milk formulas, on the development of allergic reactions and the development of cow's milk protein-IgG antibodies is still disputed. We prospectively compared the development of allergic manifestations and cow's milk protein-IgG antibodies in a total of 702 infants who were divided into six groups: Cow's milk protein antibodies were determined by an indirect immuno-fluorescent test. Antibody titres rose slowly in groups 1, 3 and 6. Children in group 5 showed two high peaks. There were no significant differences in the frequency and type of allergic manifestations between the groups. Introduction of cow's milk formu…

Avant-propos

Zu Konrad Peutingers Druckeditionen römischer Inschriften

International audience

Use of the polymerase chain reaction to demonstrate hepatitis B virus DNA in serum of children with chronic hepatitis B.

The polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the presence of hepatitis B virus DNA in sera of 61 children with chronic hepatitis B and negative results on dot biot hybridization tests. Our results demonstrate that most chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen in childhood have hepatitis B virus DNA detectable by polymerase chain reaction in their serum and must be considered infectious.

French River Finds from the Bronze and Early Iron Ages

International audience

Une crise dans la production métallique de l’âge du Bronze final autour de 900 av. J.-C.

La fin du Xe siècle av. J.-C. correspond à une subdivision mineure au sein des principaux systèmes chronologiques d’Europe continentale (transition Bronze final IIIa-IIIb ou Ha B1-B2/3). Il s’agit pourtant d’une période de rupture majeure dans les productions métalliques. L’aspect des objets en bronze, notamment ceux de la sphère personnelle (épées, parures, couteaux…), change radicalement. La riche ornementation graphique répandue jusqu’alors laisse place à des objets beaucoup plus épurés et standardisés. Ce changement rapide doit être mis en relation avec des variations au sein des systèmes de production et le développement de l’utilisation de moules permanents, auparavant réservés à la p…

Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction in serum and liver of children with chronic hepatitis B negative for hepatitis B virus DNA by conventional hybridization tests.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in the serum of 87 and liver tissue of 40 children with chronic hepatitis B, negative for HBV DNA by dot blot and Southern blot hybridization, respectively. In sera HBV DNA could be detected in 73 hepatitis B surface antigen carriers; 14 were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), 56 were anti-HBe-seropositive and 3 had neither HBeAg nor positive anti-HBe. In 14 anti-HBe-positive patients no HBV DNA could be found. Viral sequences in liver tissue were present in 33 specimens; 20 were HBeAg and 13 were anti-HBe-seropositive. All of the 7 negative children had anti-HBe. Our results confirm polymerase chain reaction to be a more sen…

Differences in the clinical and radiologic patterns of rotavirus and non-rotavirus necrotizing enterocolitis

We analyzed retrospectively 32 successive infants who developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), 13 with rotavirus (RV) infection (RV+) and 19 RV-negative (RV-). All patients showed at least pneumatosis intestinalis. All patients except one had risk factors for perinatal asphyxia. Our study demonstrated significant differences between RV+ NEC and RV- NEC cases: RV+ NEC infants had a higher birth weight and were born at a later gestational age. Oral feeding was started earlier and symptoms developed later and more insidiously in RV+ patients than in RV- NEC babies. Radiology revealed a less severe and more distal colon involvement in RV+ NEC infants, whereas the RV- NEC patients mostly had s…

Cow's milk protein intolerance in infants with methaemo globinaemia and diarrhoea

New point mutation (R243W) in the hormone binding domain of the c‐erbA β1 gene in a family with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone

Two years after the first mutation on exon 7 in the carboxy-terminal part of the hinge domain (D) was reported (Behr and Loos 1992), we have identified the second mutation on exon 7 in patients with GRTH. Interestingly, our mutation it is not located in the two previously described "hot spot regions", but instead very close to the hinge domain (D) of the receptor protein that is essential for the function of the hormone binding domain (E) (Lin et al., 1991). Confirming the observation that the majority of single base substitutions causing human genetic diseases or DNA polymorphisms follow the hot spot mutation rule of CG to TG and CG to CA transition (Barker et al., 1984), an additional CpG…

Molecular hybridization techniques in current diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B in childhood.

Following the cloning and sequencing of the hepatitis B virus genome, molecular hybridization techniques have been established to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in serum and liver tissue. Analyses can be performed by dot blot, Southern blot and in situ hybridization. HBV DNA is regarded to be the most sensitive marker of viral replication and infectivity which was previously related to the presence of hepatitis B e antigen in serum and hepatitis B core antigen in liver cells. In liver tissue different molecular patterns can be recognized as free viral DNA and integrated sequences. Furthermore, introduction of the polymerase chain reaction allows the detection of very small amounts of vi…

Déposer les armes : quelles modalités d’abandon pour les épées de l’âge du Bronze dans les sociétés atlantiques et nord-alpines ?

Swords are amongst the most significant objects of the Bronze Age. Beyond their defensive function, they have a developed symbolic dimension, which seems of great importance in Bronze Age society. Swords represent rightly or wrongly, the warrior figure. Swords change and develop during the Bronze Age, with a greater variability and an increasing frequency. In this paper, we aim to examine the discovery contexts of these objects and to observe the rhythm and the patterns of their occurrences in the land hoards, as wet finds and as funerary deposits. Through this very symbolic object, we want to question the visibility of the warrior, which varies greatly through time and space: sometimes omn…

Normalisation et individualisation de l’équipement du guerrier à l’âge du Bronze (XVIe–IXe siècle av. J.-C.) : le cas des épées et de l'armement défensif en Europe tempérée

International audience; L'étude de la forme et de l'ornementation de l’armement offensif et défensif de l'âge du Bronze indique une standardisation des productions suivant des traditions qui varient selon la région et la période considérées. L’homogénéité de ces objets au sein d'un espace témoigne de l’adhésion, consciente ou non, des utilisateurs de ces objets à une communauté partageant une même norme et identifiable par la possession d’objets à l’identité visuelle commune, qui dépasse parfois le cadre de l’armement. Ces caractères standardisés devaient ainsi constituer une composante culturelle forte, certains utilisateurs n'hésitant pas à modifier des pièces importées afin de les adapte…

La production métallique non-funéraire de l’âge du Bronze en Bourgogne. Bilan des études 1995-2007

International audience

L'armement à l'âge du Bronze final en Europe tempérée (XVIe -IXe siècles av. J.-C.) : éléments dispersés d'une « panoplie de guerrier » ?

L'étude de la forme et de l'ornementation de l'armement offensif et défensif de l'âge du Bronze indique une standardisation des productions suivant des traditions qui varient selon la région et la période considérées. L'homogénéité de ces objets au sein d'un espace donné montre l'adhésion des utilisateurs de ces objets à une communauté partageant une même norme et identifiable par la possession d'objets à l'identité visuelle commune, qui n'est d'ailleurs pas limitée au cadre de l'armement. La forme et les décors standardisés de ces armes constituent un marqueur culturel-certains utilisateurs n'hésitant pas à modifier des pièces importées afin de les adapter aux habitudes locales-et révèlent…

Alpha-Interferon Treatment in HBeAg Positive Children with Chronic Hepatitis B and Associated Hepatitis D

The main problem of children with HBeAg positive hepatitis B and associated hepatitis D is progression to liver cirrhosis with decompensation of liver function and need for liver replacement therapy within 15-20 years after infection. To determine whether interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy has a positive effect on HBV replication and inflammatory activity, we evaluated clinical and serological data of 8 children treated with IFN-alpha and 6 historic control patients without treatment. 4 of the nontreated patients seroconverted from HBeAg to anti-HBe between 7 to 17 years after initial diagnosis and showed decreased inflammatory activity in the liver. In the treatment group, the rate of se…

Diagnostic Significance of Epithelioid Granulomas in Crohnʼs Disease in Children

Out of 528 children with Crohn's disease in a Multicenter Paediatric Crohn's Disease Study Group, 37 cases had epithelioid granulomas but did not fulfill defined radiographic criteria of the disease. Follow-up studies including clinical, biochemical, radiological, endoscopic, and histological investigations were done in these patients. Initially, all patients showed clinical symptoms and 27 of them had biochemical signs of chronic inflammation. After a mean follow-up of 3 years, all 37 children treated for Crohn's disease got a complete upper gastrointestinal series with small bowel followthrough and 8 children in addition had barium enemas. Colonoscopies were done in 23 patients. Radiograp…

CHARACTERIZATION OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS B IN CHILDHOOD USING MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TECHNIQUES

The introduction of molecular biology techniques in the diagnostics of chronic hepatitis B virus infection proved HBV DNA to be the most sensitive marker of viral replication and infectivity. The aim of our study was to characterize the HBV DNA status in children with chronic hepatitis B with various molecular biology techniques in relation to conventional HBV markers. Methods: 206 sera of 172 and liver tissue of 108 children with chronic hepatitis B infection were investigated by dot blot-, Southern blot-, and in situ hybridization. In dot blot and Southern blot negative specimens polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed. Results: 111 of the 206 sera were positive for HBV DNA by dot b…

Analysis of the RET, GDNF, EDN3, and EDNRB genes in patients with intestinal neuronal dysplasia and Hirschsprung disease

BACKGROUNDHirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a frequent congenital disorder with an incidence of 1 in 5000 live births, characterised by the absence of parasympathetic intramural ganglion cells in the hindgut resulting in intestinal obstruction in neonates and severe constipation in infants and adults. Intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND) shares clinical features with HSCR but the submucosal parasympathetic plexus is affected. IND has been proposed as one of the most frequent causes of chronic constipation and is often associated with HSCR.METHODSWe examined 29 patients diagnosed with sporadic HSCR, 20 patients with IND, and 12 patients with mixed HSCR/IND for mutations in the coding regions of …

Cellular cytotoxicity against autologous hepatocytes in children with different forms of chronic hepatitis B.

Cell-mediated immune reactions play the most important role in the pathogenesis of chronic viral and auto-immune hepatitis. Cellular cytotoxicity (CC) of peripheral blood lymphocytes against autologous hepatocytes isolated from liver biopsies was studied in 29 children with different types of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive hepatitis. Children with chronic hepatitis B showed higher cytotoxicity than control patients. However, a correlation of cytotoxicity to serum amino-transferases, HBeAg-/Anti-HBe-status, and hepatitis B virus DNA in serum could not be found. Children with a higher percentage of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) expression in their liver tissue presented lower…

Emergency radiology: straightening of the cervical spine in MDCT after trauma--a sign of injury or normal variant?

To evaluate whether straightening of the cervical spine (C-spine) alignment after trauma can be considered a significant multidetector CT (MDCT) finding.160 consecutive patients after C-spine trauma admitted to a Level 1 trauma centre received MDCT according to Canadian Cervical Spine Rule and National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study indication rule; subgroups with and without cervical collar immobilization (CCI +/-) were compared with a control group (n = 20) of non-traumatized patients. Two independent readers evaluated retrospectively the alignment, determined the absolute rotational angle of the posterior surface of C2 and C7 (ARA C2-7) and grouped the results for lordosis (-1…

Nouveau regard sur le Bronze ancien en Bourgogne à la lumière de l’étude d’une hache récemment découverte en forêt d’Étaules (21)

In 2010, in doubtful circumstances, a bronze axe blade was fortuitously discovered in the forest of Étaules. The artefact has been studied as detailed as possible in order to suggest its former cultural context, thus allowing to give a brief review of the Early Bronze Age in Burgundy. This flanged axe, close to the Neyruz type, can be attributed to the mid-Early Bronze Age. In an excellent state of preservation, it was carefully prepared after having been cast in a split mould; although worn by use, it remains fully functional. Despite the lack of the archaeological context at the precise place where it was discovered, its presence strengthens the idea of a developed human occupation in Bur…

Une place au soleil

Prophylaxis, diagnosis and therapy of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection : The German guidelines on the management of HCV infection

Detection of different viral strains of hepatitis B virus in chronically infected children after seroconversion from HBsAg to anti-HBs indicating viral persistence

Abstract Background/Aims: Seroconversion to anti-HBs or the loss of HBsAg is usually associated with complete elimination of the replicative hepatitis B virus. Usually in these patients hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) becomes undetectable. Routine controls of patients who underwent anti-HBs seroconversion by more sensitive tests showed that in some cases the virus persisted in the patient. Therefore the aim of our study was to evaluate if virus persistence could also be found in children with chronic hepatitis B after anti-HBs seroconversion. The virus pool should be characterized before and after seroconversion. Methods: Viral DNA was extracted from nine HBsAg negative or anti-HBs positive…

Le mobilier archéologique de la Saône et la nécessité d’une approche comparative et diachronique des trouvailles fluviales

International audience

Functional analysis of a rare HBV deletion mutant in chronically infected children.

Liver damage caused by chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may be enhanced through the selection of deleted HBV preS mutants by intracellular accumulation of viral proteins and subsequent cell death. However, the prevalence and impact of such mutants on the clinical course of infection have not yet been studied in children. Serum samples from 60 children (mean age 9.8 y) were investigated by means of PCR and direct sequencing of the entire preS region. Only one patient (1.5%) was found with a mixed HBV population of a deletion spanning 183 nucleotides and wild-type sequences. This mutation alters the HBV large-surface protein and removes the small-surface promoter. To clarify the sign…

High sustained virologic response rates in children with chronic hepatitis C receiving peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin

Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b plus ribavirin (RBV) is the standard of care for adults with chronic hepatitis C but was not approved for the treatment of children at the time of this study. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PEG-IFN alfa-2b plus RBV in children.Children and adolescents ages 3-17 years were treated with PEG-IFN alfa-2b (60microg/m(2)/week) plus RBV (15mg/kg/day). The duration of therapy was 24 weeks for genotype (G) 2 and G3 patients with low viral load (600,000IU/ml) and 48 weeks for G1, G4, and G3 with high viral load (or=600,000IU/ml). The primary end point was sustained virologic response (SVR), defined as undetectable hepatitis C vi…

Klinische Bedeutung des Hepatitis-B-Virus-DNS-Nachweises im Serum von Kindern mit chronischer Hepatitis B

206 sera from 172 children with chronic hepatitis B infection were tested for HBV DNA by dot blot hybridization. 111 were positive and 95 negative for HBV DNA. 103 (78.6%) of the positive patients had HBeAg and 5 (7.7%) anti-HBe. In 60 (92.3%) of the anti-HBe positive sera no HBV DNA could be detected. Children with elevated liver enzymes had HBV DNA in 80.1%, whereas in 71.6% of the chronic HBsAg carriers with normal liver enzymes no HBV DNA was found. In 87 of the 95 dot blot negative patients polymerase chain reaction was performed. 73 (83.9%) children of this group were HBV DNA positive. All HBeAg positive patients and those with elevated aminotransferases had HBV DNA in their serum. 56…

IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION FOR DETECTION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS GENOMES IN LIVER TISSUE OF CHRONIC INFECTED CHILDREN

Detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA in the liver of chronic infected patients is presently the most sensitive marker of viral replication and infectivity. In situ hybridization (ISH) allows the direct visualization of HBV infected liver cells and distribution of the viral sequences. This study was done to establish ISH and correlate the findings with conventional markers for HBV infection. Methods. Liver biopsies of 50 patients (28 ♂, 22 ♀) aged 0.5-20 years (mean 10.3) with various histological diagnoses were tested by 1SH. The HBV-DNA probe was labeled by nick translation with 35S-CTP to a specific activity of 3-5×108 cpm/μg DNA. Results. HBV-DNA/mRNA could be demonstrated in 38 pati…

Quelques considérations à propos de la chronologie de la « Période des Champs d’urnes »

National audience

Defective jejunal brush border membrane sodium/proton exchange in association with lethal familial protracted diarrhoea.

The spectrum of clinical disease associated with specific defects in jejunal brush border membrane sodium/proton exchange is poorly defined and only two patients have been described so far. Jejunal brush border membrane transport studies were performed in a boy who presented with lethal familial protracted diarrhoea in the first few days of life. Using jejunal brush border membrane vesicles prepared from conventional jejunal biopsy specimens, initial sodium uptake under H+ gradient conditions was found to be only 6% of the mean control value. In contrast, sodium stimulated glucose uptake was normal. Our data confirm the importance of a congenital defect in this exchanger as a cause of sever…

IgG, IgA, and IgE Antibodies to Cow Milk Proteins in an Allergy Prevention Study

In the last few years, several trials have been carried out to determine if certain feeding regimens in neonates prevent atopic diseases1–13. In our country, there is a continuing debate about nutritional supplementation of breast milk with hydrolysate formulas: in the first days of life should only newborns at allergy risk8,9,11,14, or should all newborns be fed only breast milk? This age is claimed to be an especially vulnerable period for a sensitization against foreign proteins because of intestinal immaturity and inexperienced gut-associated lymphoid tissue15. A prospective Danish study revealed cases of cow’s milk allergy only among those breastfed infants who had received cow’s milk …

Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: a severe fatty acid oxidation disorder

3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency is a newly recognised fatty acid oxidation disorder with a usually fatal outcome. We present a further patient who presented with hypoketotic hypoglycaemia, hepatopathy, secondary carnitine deficiency and increased plasma long-chain acylcarnitines. 3-Hydroxydicarboxylic aciduria was present and the diagnosis confirmed in cultured skin fibroblasts. Our patient is compared with those reported in the literature with respect to clinical symptoms, differential diagnosis and possible therapeutic regimens.

Hepatitis B Virus DNA in Liver Tissue of Chronic HBsAg Carriers in Childhood and Its Relationship to Other Viral Markers

The aim of the study was to examine the state of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in liver tissue of 103 children with chronic hepatitis B aged 0.5-18 years to detect free and integrated viral sequences by Southern blot hybridization. HBV DNA was found in 74 patients. Seventy-two were seropositive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and two had anti-HBe antibodies. Integrated sequences could be demonstrated in two children. One of them had only integrated HBV DNA and was anti-HBe seropositive. The other one presented both free and integrated viral sequences and developed seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe 5 months after biopsy. In 29 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers, no HBV DNA coul…