Search results for "VIRUS DISEASE"
showing 10 items of 1907 documents
Possible role of human interleukin-6 and soluble interleukin-6 receptor in hepatitis B virus infection
2001
Human interleukin-6 has been shown to promote hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, it is not clear whether this influence is the result of a direct interaction between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the HBV envelope proteins or of a rather indirect mechanism. A direct interaction of IL-6 and the preS region of the large envelope protein (L-protein) of HBV has been reported. In this study we assessed the binding of IL-6 and of the IL-6 receptor subunits to the preS region of the L-protein of HBV. Binding of IL-6 and IL-6 receptor subunits sIL-6R and gp130 to preS was assessed by immunoprecipitation with recombinant preS proteins. In patient sera IL-6 and sIL-6R concentrations were analysed …
An outbreak of HBV and HCV infection in a paediatric oncology ward: Epidemiological investigations and prevention of further spread
2003
Hospital-acquired hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV) infections continue to occur despite increased awareness of this problem among the medical community. One hundred six patients were infected in a haematology oncology ward for children, over the time period 1996 to 2000. Serum samples from 45 such patients and 3 from infected medical personnel were used for nucleic acid amplification. HBV core, as well as HCV core and hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) nucleotide sequences, were analysed by phylogenetic tree analysis, in order to characterise the epidemiological pattern of viral transmission on the ward. Samples from 32 patients were positive for HBV-DNA or HCV-RNA by PCR. Ten patients were p…
Adefovir for lamivudine resistant HBV: More than meets the eye
2007
– In patients with LAM resistance and high levels of HBV-DNA, especially if HBeAg positive, it may be difficult to obtain a strong virological suppression with ADV. – Restrictive criteria are needed to define virological response (HBV-DNA < 10 3 copies/ml or 200 IU/ml). – Early finding of non-response or of suboptimal response after 9–12 months of ADV therapy suggests a high risk of emergence of ADV-resistant strains and should prompt a change of treatment strategy. In patients with cirrhosis, due to the risk of liver failure, treatment changes should be considered even earlier, at 3–6 months.
The long-term course of chronic hepatitis B
1999
The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcome in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients according to HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis D virus (HDV) replication, focusing on survival, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A cohort of 302 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive subjects (mean age, 34 +/- 15.3 years; male/female 214/88; 39 subjects under 14 years) with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis (86 with cirrhosis) was prospectively assessed, with a median follow-up of 94 +/- 37.6 months. One hundred nine patients received interferon alfa (IFN). At baseline, 86 subjects (28.5%) were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive (wild-type HBV), 80 (26.…
Effectiveness of a screening program for HBV, HCV, and HIV infections in African migrants to Sicily
2021
BACKGROUND Migrants from Africa are vulnerable to viral infections during their journey. METHODS Migrants who arrived in western Sicily were offered early screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A questionnaire was administered to evaluate risk factors, and antiviral therapy was offered to subjects with active infection. A multiple regression analysis and adjusted odds ratio were obtained to evaluate risk factors. RESULTS Overall, 2,639 of 2,751 (95.9%) migrants who arrived between 2015 and 2017 accepted screening and 1,911 (72.4%) completed the questionnaire. HBsAg was positive in 257 (9.7%) migrants, 24 (0.9%) were …
Mosaic particles formed by wild-type hepatitis B virus core protein and its deletion variants consist of both homo- and heterodimers.
2003
AbstractCo-expression in Escherichia coli of wild-type (wt) hepatitis B virus core protein (HBc) and its naturally occurring variants with deletions at amino acid positions 77–93 or 86–93 leads to formation of mosaic particles, which consist of three dimer subunit compositions. These compositions are wt/variant HBc heterodimers and two types of homodimers, formed by wt HBc or the variant HBc themselves. Mosaic particles were found also when both HBc deletion variants 77–93 and 86–93 were co-expressed in E. coli. These findings are discussed in terms of their significance for hepatitis B virus pathogenesis and prospective use of mosaic particles in vaccine development.
Hepatitis C virus antibody secretion in vitro by peripheral blood lymphocytes.
1992
A recombinant polypeptide corresponding to a virus-specific cDNA clone (c100-3) serves as the antigen for a hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody assay. Previous investigations have shown an 80% prevalence of HCV antibodies in sera of patients suffering from post-transfusional chronic hepatitis non-A, non-B, but positive results were also obtained for 30 to 70% of sera from patients with chronic hepatitis B or autoimmune hepatitis. In this study we show that HCV antibodies are secreted by peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in vitro. PBL from 12/35 patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis and 1/6 patients with chronic active hepatitis B spontaneously secreted HCV antibodies in cell culture su…
Failure of acyclovir to enhance the antiviral effect of α lymphoblastoid interferon on HBe-seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B
1992
Serum HBeAg levels and HBe-seroconversion were investigated in patients with chronic HBeAg-positive hepatitis who were randomized to receive either alpha lymphoblastoid interferon (5 megaunits subcutaneously daily for 16 weeks) plus acyclovir (2 g intravenously daily during weeks 1 and 2 and weeks 9 and 10) (n = 49) or no treatment (n = 48). HBeAg levels in serial dilutions of patient serum were assessed quantitatively by radioimmunoassay and compared with the values found for negative control serum. One year after the start of therapy 44 treated patients and 43 control patients were available for follow-up. A complete response (HBe-seroconversion) occurred in 11 treated patients (25%) and …
Liver diseases and hepatitis B virus antigens and antibodies in chronic HBsAg carriers in childhood
1980
Liver biopsies were obtained from 109 children who had been chronic carriers of HBsAg for more than 6 months. The specimens were examined for the presen Ice of intracellular HBsAg, HBcAg and HBeAg by direct immunofluorescence. Sera were tested for HBeAg, virus B specific DNA polymerase, anti-HBs, anti-HBe and anti-HBc. On the basis of accepted histological criteria we found chronic active hepatitis (CAH) in 56 and chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) in 19 children. 15 cases had minimal changes (minimal hepatitis, MH) and 19 normal liver tissue (healthy HBsAg carriers, HC). Children with CAH and CPH had HBeAg, DNA polymerase and anti-HBc in their serum. HBcAg and HBeAg were found in 5-50% of …
Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation and Alemtuzumab Therapy.
2004
Abstract Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection in subjects receiving cytotoxic treatment for haematological malignancies occurs in 21–53% of chronic HBsAg carriers and in an unknown number of HBsAg negative subjects harbouring occult HBV infection. Immunotherapy with alemtuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against CD52 on lymphoid cells, produces deep immunosuppression. We describe two subjects with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and occult HBV infection who developed a virological and biochemical flare of hepatitis B following immunotherapy with alemtuzumab. One of them developed a full blown hepatitis with seroreversion from anti-HBs to HBsAg after four weeks of alemtuzumab. Lam…