OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that our inner city obstetric patients who have been infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) will have a higher prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection than the general population and to identify specific risk factors and high-risk groups. METHODS All patients in our prenatal clinic (July 1997-April 1999) who tested positive for one or more STDs w...

background: in spite of available, and sensitive screening assay for detection of hepatitis b virus surface antigen (hbsag), occasional cases of post-transfusion hepatitis b virus infection are still observed. the aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of positive anti hepatitis b core (anti-hbc) and presence of hbv-dna in serum sample of healthy blood donors negative for both hb...

STUDY OBJECTIVE We describe the results of an emergency department (ED) hepatitis C virus testing program that integrated birth cohort screening and screening of patients with a history of injection drug use, as well as physician diagnostic testing, according to national guidelines. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data collected as part of clinical care. The primary ou...

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is a main health problem in our country. It is thought that the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) through the endoscopic procedures is a rare event. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of conventional disinfection in the transmission of HCV. Materials and methods: A prospective study, comprising 456 consecutive upper gastrointestin...

results the mean age of children was 6.5 ± 4.2 years. the frequency of positive results for hbsag, anti-hbs and anti-hcv in all age groups were 12 (3.6%), 47 (14.2%) and 2 (0.6%), respectively. anti-hiv was not detected in any of the children's serum samples. the frequency of positive results for hbsag was significantly higher in children older than six years than in other age groups. conclusio...

We conducted Myanmar-Japan cooperation studies on hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus markers in patients with thalassemias and those with liver diseases. Among the 102 patients with liver diseases, 92% had a history of hepatitis B virus infection (antibody to hepatitis B core antigen positive), 35% were hepatitis B surface antigen positive, 39% were positive for anti-HCV. Among 28 patients with ...

Background: Several adjuvants have been evaluated for vaccine formulations but alu-minum salts will continue to be used for many years due to their safety, low cost and adjuvanticity with different antigens. Two commonly used aluminum adjuvants, alumi-num hydroxide and aluminum phosphate have different adjuvanticity properties. Com-mercial recombinant protein hepatitis B vaccines containing alu...

     Thimerosal, which is approximately 50% mercury by weight is a preservative widely used in vaccines since the 1930’s. It meets the requirements for a preservative as set forth by Pharmacopeia challenge test and has been shown to be effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens. In July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be redu...

A case is reported of a 29 year old female who had autoimmune hepatitis associated with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). The patient developed MCTD at the age of 19, and was treated with prednisolone. Liver dysfunction developed 7 years later, which exacerbated shortly after the patient suffered intrauterine fetal death during the second trimester of pregnancy. Laboratory data showed neg...