BACKGROUND To reduce the rate of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV), HBV DNA testing was introduced for all Dutch blood donations in 2008, in addition to the existing screening for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). This study describes the lookback results for repeat donors with an "HBV DNA-only" test result (HBV DNA-positive and HBsAg-negative). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS From November...

BACKGROUND The epidemiologic trends of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients over the past 20 years are largely unknown. METHODS Prevalence and risk factors for HBV infection overall, at the time of HIV infection, and after HIV infection were examined in an ongoing observational HIV cohort study. Risk factors for HBV infection at the time of...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES A 5% risk of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been reported in patients with diseases other than psoriasis treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of HBV reactivation in patients with a past history of HBV infection who were receiving biologic therapy for psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS T...

To evaluate the prevalence of past infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the incidence of its reactivation under treatment with biological and/or nonbiological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), 239 patients receiving DMARD therapy were consecutively enrolled and tested for HBV-DNA, using a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, H...

BACKGROUND Despite international efforts to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection through global vaccination programs, new cases are still being reported throughout the world. METHODS To supply data that might assist in improving preventive measures and national surveillance for HBV infection, a cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals referred to the Brazilian National Refer...

Remarkable progress has been made in our understanding of the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the past 25 years. Availability of sensitive HBV DNA assays and application of sophisticated immunological techniques led to the recognition that HBV replication persists throughout the course of chronic HBV infection, and host immune response plays a pivotal role in HBV...

Diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection based on hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) detection can be hampered in the setting of HBV reactivation in immunocompromized patients with prior serology indicating past cured infection, and can be associated with severe or fulminant and fatal hepatitis. We present a case of HBV reactivation in a renal transplant patient in whom HBsAg failed to b...

BACKGROUND As part of routine diabetes care, capillary blood is typically sampled using a finger-stick device and then tested using a handheld blood glucose meter. In settings where multiple persons require assistance with blood glucose monitoring, opportunities for bloodborne pathogen transmission may exist. METHODS Reports of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection outbreaks in the United States ...

background and objective: although hepatitis b vaccine immunogenicity is high, certain risk factors such as age, tobacco consumption, obesity and genetic background have been associated with low responsiveness to hbv vaccine. we aimed to evaluate the role of occult hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection in non-responder adults to hbv vaccine in a low endemic area for hbv. material and methods : a to...