Two hepatitis B core proteins bearing the immunodominant region of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) capsid protein, one at the C terminus of hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) and the other within the HBcAg immunodominant loop, were constructed. Both chimeric proteins exhibited HEV reactivity, but only the first construct retained HBcAg reactivity. The second construct was used to develop an ant...

The national hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan is considered one of the most successful and effective public health programs to control chronic hepatitis B infection in the past 20 years. This review illustrates how to implement a successful hepatitis B vaccination program based on Taiwan's experience. Several important controlled randomized clinical trials on hepatitis B immunoglobulin...

Polymyositis is a rare complication of interferon alpha treatment as a result of immune-modulating role of the drug itself. In this case, interferon alpha induced polymyositis and cardiomyopathy is diagnosed in a 33-yr-old male patient with history of chronic hepatitis B. To treat hepatitis B, interferon alpha was administered until the proximal muscle weakness developed. Thereafter, sixteen cy...

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is a major mode of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission, especially in high endemic areas. Administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and hepatitis B vaccine to infants at birth, followed by completion of the vaccine series, prevented approximately 95% of HBV transmission from HBsAg-positive mothers to their infants. However, immunoprophylaxis failur...

OBJECTIVE To review management of incidents involving exposure to blood reported to an occupational health unit. DESIGN Analysis of all reported incidents from January 1989 to June 1991. SETTING London teaching hospital. SUBJECTS 447 health care workers and students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Immunisation against hepatitis B virus before exposure, proportion of known source patients tested ...