We have previously demonstrated that the murine humoral immune responses to the group-specific a and subtype-specific d/y determinants of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are controlled by H-2-linked immune response (Ir) genes. High responder (H-2d,q), intermediate responder (H-2a greater than b greater than k) and nonresponder (H-2f,s) haplotypes have been identified (8, 9). The kinetics an...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still reported from adult hemodialysis units. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of anti-HBs antibody in hemodialysis patients and the correlation between levels of anti-HBs antibody with other factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibodies level in 119 hemodialysis patients were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorb...

Hepatitis B core antigen (HBc Ag) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) were detected in the liver tissue of a patient with chronic aggressive hepatitis by the immunofluorescent complement technique. The presence of anti-HBc was examined by the same method in 67 human sera previously tested for HBs Ag, anti-HBs and s-GPT levels. HBc Ag was localized mainly in the nucleus and sometimes in the...

A sample of 1,288 inhabitants of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, were submitted to the determination of anti-HBs using radioimmunoassay procedure, and analysed according to age, sex and income. Overall prevalence of anti-HBs was 11,8%. ranging from 6,7% among children aged less than three years old to 26,1% among those aged 30 years and older. Males presented prevalence of anti-HBs similar to female i...

BACKGROUND The coexistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been explained by the presence of viral escape mutants. Yet, no systematic analysis of such patients has been performed. We analyzed both the HBV strains and the nature of anti-HBs in such patients. METHODS Four hundred eleven pati...

The protective anti-HBs titres were examined six-year post-immunisation with the Brazilian recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. After the primary vaccination, all adolescents (n = 89) responded with protective anti-HBs titres and had a geometric mean titre (GMT) of 4031.8 mIU/mL. In 2010, 94.5% maintained protective anti-HBs (> 10 mIU/mL) antibodies, with a GMT of 236.0 mIU/mL. A positive correlati...

To prevent reinfection with hepatitis B virus after orthotopic liver transplantation, patients receive long-term intravenous anti-HBs immunoprophylaxis. We compared the pharmacokinetics of intravenously and intramuscularly administered commercially available hepatitis B virus immunoglobulins. The study group consisted of 12 patients on immunoprophylaxis after orthotopic liver transplantation, w...

The Bio-Rad Variant Hemoglobin Testing System is an automated HPLC analyzer marketed with a Beta-thalassemia Short Program to quantify hemoglobins (Hbs) F and A2 and assist in detecting Hbs A, S, C, D, and E. We evaluated this system to replace several traditional methods for Hb in our hospital laboratory. Analytical performance relevant to quantifying Hbs A, S, C, and F was assessed with blood...