The human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line PLC/PRF/5, which synthesizes and secretes hepatitis B surface antigen, was grown under optimal conditions in tissue culture, using Eagle's minimal essential medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 10(-11) M triiodothyronine on collagen rafts. Injection s.c. of the PLC/PRF/5 cell line into athymic BALB/c nude mice resulted in the growth of...

INTRODUCTION Globally, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of liver-related mortality. Newborn vaccination, maternal antiviral therapy and administering hepatitis B immune globulin shortly after birth can greatly reduce the risk of perinatal and infant infection. However, evidence-based policy regarding these interventions in Africa is hampered by gaps in knowledge of HBV epi...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin in newborn infants of mothers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. DATA SOURCES Electronic databases and hand searches. REVIEW METHODS Randomised clinical trials were assessed for methodological quality. Meta-analysis was undertaken on ...

This study was undertaken to assess the frequency of development and the stages of evolution of chronic liver disease in patients with renal failure who are chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen. Cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis developed in five of 21 patients and could not be predicted by the initial histological appearance or by HLA-A and B typing but was associated with the e...

OBJECTIVE To describe the evolution of serological markers among HIV and hepatitis B coinfected patients, with emphasis on evaluating the reactivation or seroreversion of these markers. METHODS The study population consisted of patients met in an AIDS Outpatient Clinic in São Paulo State, Brazil. We included in the analysis all HIV-infected and who underwent at least two positive hepatitis B ...

background: the household transmission of hepatitis b virus (hbv) is a major health problem. high incidence of hbv infection is observed within the household contacts of hbv carriers. we aimed to evaluate serological markers of hepatitis b infection among family members of hbv carriers in arak, central iran. methods: data were collected from the 100 chronic hbv carriers (subjects with positive ...

BACKGROUND Occult hepatitis B infections are becoming a major global threat, but the available data on its prevalence in various parts of the world are often divergent. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to detect occult hepatitis B virus in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative serum using anti-HBc as a marker of previous infection. PATIENT AND METHODS A total of 1000 randomly selected hepatitis B ...

The infectious hepatitis B virus represents 42 nm spherical double-shelled particles. However, analysis of blood from hepatitis B virus carriers revealed the presence of smaller 22 nm particles consisting of a viral envelope surface protein. These particles are highly immunogenic and have been used in the design of hepatitis B virus vaccine produced in yeast. Upon expression in yeast, these pro...