The asymptomatic, chronic carrier state of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi occurs in the bile-rich gallbladder and is frequently associated with the presence of cholesterol gallstones. We have previously demonstrated that salmonellae form biofilms on human gallstones and cholesterol-coated surfaces in vitro and that bile-induced biofilm formation on cholesterol gallstones promotes gallbladder...

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) plays an important role in immune defense. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between hepatitis B virus infection and polymorphisms of MBL gene. We assessed the single nucleotide polymorphism at codon 54 in exon 1 of MBL in patients with hepatitis B virus infection and HBsAg negative controls in Korean population. A total of 498 enrolled subjec...

Vaccination with P13, a peptide mimotope of the cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), has been shown to confer protection against a subsequent lethal Cryptococcus neoformans challenge. In this study, we sought to investigate whether P13-based vaccines could be effective in an already-established infection. To address this question, we developed a systemic chronic crypt...

background and objectives: neisseria meningitidis is transmitted from person-to-person. thus, close contact with a healthy carrier can facilitate the spread of the bacteria and lead to life-threatening meningococcal disease. the aim of this study was to identify oropharyngeal carriers of n. meningitidis in volunteers preparing for military service before vaccination. materials and methods: in a...

background: it is estimated that about 370 million people are chronic carriers of hbv worldwide. apparently 3% of iranian populations are chronic carriers of this virus. we aimed to evaluate the viral dna in biological fluids of chronic hepatitis patients compared to a control group. methods: the current case-control study was designed to evaluate the viral dna in biological fluids of 70 chroni...

conclusions fluctuations in serum alt levels may change the prognosis of a hbv inactive carrier state. objectives this study aimed to determine the incidence rate and patterns of alt fluctuations and prognostic values for the development of chronic hbv e antigen (hbeag)-negative hepatitis b (chb), hbv surface antigen (hbsag) seroclearance, and liver-related complications. patients and methods t...

OBJECTIVES We investigated whether long-term clinical outcomes such as disease progression or inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier state can be predicted by baseline factors in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative HBV infected patients with an elevated viral load. METHODS A retrospective cohort of 527 HBeAg-negative chronic HBV infected patients with an elevated viral load (HBV DNA ≥ 2,...

Two patients are described who developed septicaemia with Shigella flexneri following renal transplantation. Pre-operative screening had not identified either patient as a chronic carrier of Shigella sp. The acute management and problems posed by unrecognized carriers amongst patients undergoing transplantation in areas of the world where Shigella is endemic, are discussed.