The antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) seropositivity rate after 3 doses of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination during infancy period is known to be higher than 90%. However, a considerable number of vaccines do not form protective anti-HBs or chronologic decrease of anti-HBs. We retrospectively collected data of HBV serologic test results in 20,738 individuals from 2000 to 2015...

INTRODUCTION Diabetic patients are susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections because of various deficiencies in the immune system. AIM To investigate a possible link between hepatitis B/C prevalence and microvascular complications as well as duration of diabetes. MATERIAL AND METHODS In total 1263 diabetic patients (1149 type 2, 114 type 1) were enrolled in the study. The contro...

After the 1989-1991 rubella resurgence, rubella vaccination efforts targeted children and women of childbearing age. Utilizing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected during 1988-1994 and 1999-2004, we assessed whether US levels of rubella seropositivity are consistent with rubella elimination and whether changes are consistent with immunization efforts. Serum samples wi...

BACKGROUND Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) infection has been associated with atherosclerosis and has been proposed as a possible additional cardiovascular risk factor. However, the relationship between Cp seropositivity and the progression of early carotid atherosclerosis is not unequivocally clarified. METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluated the association between serological detection of Cp IgG and/or...

We aimed to investigate IgG antibody levels specific to Toxocara canis (T. canis), a parasite which subsists in dog's intestine, on serum samples obtained from patients with chronic urticaria (CU) to evaluate effective risk in CU etiopathogenesis. In this study, 73 patients diagnosed with CU and 109 healthy individuals as control group, were included. Various factors such as sex, age, education...

Our previous epidemiologic study reported that NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) 609C/C with full enzyme activity was a high risk genotype for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seropositivity. Since NQO1 stabilizes ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), which attenuates the innate immune response through elevated polyamines, ODC functional polymorphisms may also influence H. pylori seropositivity. ...

OBJECTIVES To estimate Brucella seropositivity among slaughterhouse workers of Lahore district and to elucidate risk factors associated with seropositivity to Brucella. METHOD During the year 2008, a cross-sectional study was conducted in four slaughterhouses of Lahore district. A sample of 360 workers was selected from these slaughterhouses through stratified random sampling on proportional ...

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori infection and interleukin-1 polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. We examined the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and interleukin-1 polymorphisms between ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients. METHODS We recruited consecutive acute coronary syndro...

AIM To investigate the association of gastric histological and endoscopic findings in patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), according to presence of seropositivity to 12 bacterial virulence antigens. METHODS This is a cross-sectional single-center study of 360 consecutive outpatients referred in the period of one year to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of dyspeptic complaint...

Although many studies have tried to clarify the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and metabolic syndrome, few studies have comprehensively assessed their relationship stratified by different demographic characteristics. We aimed to investigate the correlation between metabolic syndrome and anti-HCV seropositivity in Taiwan. This study enrolled consecutive subjects who had re...