BACKGROUND Follow-up studies of recipients of hepatitis B vaccine from endemic areas have reported loss of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) in a high proportion of persons vaccinated at birth. In contrast, the long-term durability of antibody in persons vaccinated as adults in nonendemic areas is not well defined. We aimed to assess the durability of anti-HBs among healthcare ...

An increasing number of infertile, hepatitis B virus-infected individuals have opted for assisted reproductive technology. However, the impact of the hepatitis B virus carrier serostatus on neonatal outcomes has not been evaluated. Data from 504 patients who delivered singletons were analyzed. In females, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B e antigen, and antibody to hepatitis core antigen...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and prognostic values of persistence of anti-hepatitis B core immunoglobulin M antibody in asymptomatic adults chronic hepatitis B surface antigen anti-hepatitis Be carriers and its absence in others. METHODS Fifty-two hepatitis B surface antigen/anti-hepatitis Be carriers with and 32 without anti-hepatitis B core immunoglobulin M ma...

The serology of chronic hepatitis B infection has been established through the use of commercial immunoassays to measure the structural antigens of the hepatitis B virus and their respective antibodies in serum. However, the commercial assays have not been designed to detect serum antibodies in the presence of an excess of circulating antigens. A series of serum samples from 200 HBeAg-positive,...

BACKGROUND Despite the introduction of universal hepatitis B immunization programs worldwide, outbreaks of acute infection still occur in unimmunized individuals. A timely diagnosis of hepatitis B is necessary to ensure adequate clinical care and public health interventions that will reduce transmission. Yet, interpretation of hepatitis B serological markers can be complex. We present a case of...

The recent addition of testing volunteer blood donors for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) has raised questions not apparent when such testing is applied to hepatitis B (HB) infected patients. The review of published studies, and our own, demonstrates that it is difficult to evaluate false positive results. Some patients appear to lose antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (ant...

Ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18, also known as UBP43) has both interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) dependent and ISG15-independent functions. By silencing the expression of USP18 in HepG2.2.15 cells, we studied the effect of USP18 on the anti-HBV activity of IFN-F and demonstrated that knockdown of USP18 significantly Inhibited the HBV expression and increased the expression of ISGs. Le...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major worldwide problem. Chronic hepatitis C is recognized as one of the major causes of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure. Although new, directly acting antiviral therapies are suggested to overcome the low efficacy and adverse effects observed for the current standard of treatment, an effective vaccine would be the only way to certai...

The development of lipopeptides (lipidated peptides) for vaccines is discussed, including their role as antigens and/or adjuvants. Distinct classes lipopeptide architectures are covered simple linear and ligated constructs lipid core peptides. design, synthesis, immunological responses the important class glycerol-based Toll-like receptor agonist such Pam3CSK4, which contains three palmitoyl ch...