BACKGROUND Detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomes without detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs-Ag) is termed occult HBV infection (OHBV) that may be transmitted by blood transfusion or organ transplantation and has acute reactivation when an immunosuppressive status like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection occurs. We aimed to evaluate OHBV in HIV-infected patients with iso...

Recently, it was suggested that maternal hepatitis B surface antigen antibodies (anti-HBs) acquired transplacentally could play a negative role in newborn infants' immune response to the hepatitis B vaccine. We compared the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine response in infants born to mothers previously vaccinated against HBV (n = 91) to infants born to mothers who were not previously vaccinated ...

To evaluate cell mediated immunopathogenic mechanisms in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, we investigated the changes of T4/T8 ratios from the peripheral blood, the percentages of IL-2 receptor expression after stimulation of mitogens (Con A, PHA) and a specific antigen (Hepatitis type B surface antigen, HBs), and the proliferative response mediated by IL-2 receptors after rIL-2 stimu...

HBs protein is encoded by the pre-S and S genome, and the detection of HBs antigen (HBsAg) in sera is an initial step for the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The “a” determinant region (amino acid residues 124–147) is the main epitope for inducing a protective immune response. Mutations in the “a” determinant region, known as escape mutants, affect antigenicity and hinder attemp...

The ability of human semen and saliva to transmit hepatitis B virus (HBV) by parenteral and nonparenteral routes was studied. Semen, donated by a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)- and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive carrier, was administered to one gibbon by subcutaneous inoculation and to another by intravaginal instillation. Both developed HBsAg, followed by the development of antib...

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...

Dental employees in government institutions in a State in Peninsular Malaysia were screened for exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1989. Almost all (96.8%) of the 217 employees responded. One quarter (24.8%) was positive for at least one serological markers to HBV; 2.4% had hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 22.4% had anti-body to HBsAg (anti-HBs). The presence of HBsAg was unrelated t...

Papaevangelou, G., Kremastinou, T., Prevedourakis, C., and Kaskarelis, D. (1974). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 49, 936. Hepatitis B antigen and antibody in maternal blood, cord blood, and amniotic fluid. Transplacental transmission of hepatitis B virus from hepatitis B antigen carrier mothers was investigated by studying the presence of the antigen and its antibody in maternal blood, umbil...

Sudan is a highly endemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV), and >5% of blood donors are chronically infected. To examine potential strategies to improve HBV blood safety, 404 replacement donor samples previously screened for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) were tested for antibody to HBV core (anti-HBc), anti-surface antigen (anti-HBs), and HBV DNA. Of 145 anti-HBc-containing samples (36%) identifi...