Negative Surface Antigen Research Articles

Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Hepatic Diseases and Its Significance for the WHO's Elimination Plan of Viral Hepatitis.

Liver damage can progress through different stages, resulting in cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), conditions that are often associated with viral infections. Globally, 42% and 21% of cirrhosis cases correlate with HBV and HCV, respectively. In the Americas, the prevalence ranges from 1% to 44%. The WHO has the goal to eliminate viral hepatitis, but it is important to consider occult HBV infection (OBI), a clinical condition characterized by the presence of HBV genomes despite negative surface antigen tests. This review aims to provide an overview of recent data on OBI, focusing on its role in the development of hepatic diseases and its significance in the WHO Viral Hepatitis Elimination Plan. Specific HBV gene mutations have been linked to HCC and other liver diseases. Factors related to the interactions between OBI and mutated viral proteins, which induce endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative DNA damage, and the potential role of HBV integration sites (such as the TERT promoter) have been identified in HCC/OBI patients. Health initiatives for OBI research in Latin American countries are crucial to achieving the WHO's goal of eradicating viral hepatitis by 2030, given the difficulty in diagnosing OBI and its unclear association with hepatic diseases.

Prevalence of Antibodies to Hepatitis B Core Antigen in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Negative Healthy Blood Donors

The screening of HBsAg has been the cornerstone in HBV research in various states and has greatly decreased but not eradicated TAHBV. Anti-HBc was supposed to be a good indicator of latent HBV infection in the window after HBsAg disappeared. Objective: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B core antibodies in hepatitis B negative surface antigen healthy blood donors. Methods: This Cross-sectional study was held in the Medical Ward 7 of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi from July 17, 2020 - January 16, 2021. A total of 147 healthy blood donors of both sexes, aged 17 to 65 years, who submitted an application for blood donation, were selected. The venous blood (5 ml) was gathered using aseptic technique. For 5 mints; Sera was centrifuged at 3000 rpm and separated. For the qualitative and quantitative detection of anti-HBc IgM, an ELISA test by DIA was performed. Results: Of the 147 patients, 81 (55.10%) were male, 66 (44.90%) were females with a M: F ratio of 1.3: 1. In this study; the patients age range was 17-65 years with 41.45 ± 8.97 years of mean age. The pervasiveness of anti-hepatitis B antibodies in healthy donors of blood who have negative surface antigen of hepatitis B virus was 6.12%. Conclusions: It was found that the pervasiveness of anti-hepatitis B antibodies in healthy donors of blood who have negative surface antigen of hepatitis B virus was 6.12%.

Prevalence of Serological Markers against Measles, Rubella, Varicella, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus among Medical Residents in Mexico

Background. Vaccination programs among health care workers are based on seroprevalence studies, which seldom include medical residents or students. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against measles, rubella, varicella, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among medical residents.Methods. This study was designed as a prospective survey. A self-reported questionnaire was used to obtain the information. Serum samples were tested for antibodies by commercial immunoenzymatic assays. Statistical analysis was descriptive; history of exposure was evaluated as a diagnostic test and sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated according to Bayes theorem.Results. Eighty-nine residents were included, the median age was 27 years, and 58 (65.2%) were female. Seventy-two (79.7%) had been vaccinated against HBV, but vaccination was complete in only 30/72 (41.6%). All were positive for measles and varicella, with the exception of one case for each. The serology for rubella was negative in 12 residents (10 women). Three residents had anti-core against HBV, with negative surface antigen. One positive case for HCV was confirmed by Western blot. All were negative for HIV. A history of prior varicella had a 100% positive predictive value; in contrast, the negative predictive value was quite low (7%).Conclusions. Negative serology for rubella among women and incomplete vaccination against HBV support the implementation of vaccination programs in medical schools in Mexico.

Changing aetiologic patterns of acute viral hepatitis in Taiwanese children

During 1981-86, 76 children were diagnosed as having acute viral hepatitis at the Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, which is a major referral centre for hepatitis in children in northern Taiwan. The majority (64%) of children had acute hepatitis B which had occurred mainly during infancy. Perinatal transmission from a hepatitis B e negative surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mother or infection through blood transfusion from a donor who had escaped notice by a less sensitive screening test (reverse passive haemagglutination test) for HBsAg were the two important modes of transmission of hepatitis B virus. The number of cases of acute hepatitis B declined after 1984, with the beginning of the nation-wide hepatitis B vaccination programme. Due to an outbreak of hepatitis A in northern Taiwan in 1982, the number of cases of hepatitis A peaked that year. Subsequently, cases of acute hepatitis A decreased remarkably. Better socio-economic conditions and improved hygiene might have contributed to the marked decrease of viral hepatitis A. The frequency of non-A, non-B hepatitis remained stable during the study period. It is possible to conclude that the aetiologic pattern of acute hepatitis in Taiwanese children changed during the past 6 years: clinical cases of hepatitis A and B decreased, probably because of more effective control of hepatitis A and B virus infections, whereas the control of non-A, non-B virus apparently requires further efforts.

Antigenic detection and prognosis of patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

We used the specific red cell adherence (SRCA) technique to detect the A, B, O cell surface antigen on 61 transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder seen from 1979 to 1982 at the Urology Department of Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital. It was suggested in this study that the loss of surface antigen had good correlation with both the pathological grade and clinical stage of tumors. On the other hand, the patients deprived of the surface antigen were poorer in prognosis than those with positive surface antigens. Among the four groups of A, B, O and AB patients, patients with blood group O had higher mortality rates, and more susceptibility to loss of the surface antigen. This study also demonstrated that the activation of surface antigen will reduce as the age increased. Of 11 patients with recurrent stage A tumors in this study, 8 had positive surface antigen and 3 had negative surface antigen. In 8 cases of positive surface antigen, 1 (13%) subsequently developed an invasive tumor. In contrast, 2 (67%) among the 3 negative surface antigens developed invasive tumors and the statistics showed significant differences (p less than 0.05). Consequently, the SRCA technique may be valuable for predicting malignant potential in early stage cancer of the bladder.