Detection of IL28B SNP DNA from buccal epithelial cells, small amounts of serum, and dried blood spots.

Background & Aims: Point mutations in the coding region of the interleukin 28 gene (rs12979860) have recently been identified for predicting the outcome of treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. This polymorphism detection was based on whole blood DNA extraction. Alternatively, DNA for genetic diagnosis has been derived from buccal epithelial cells (BEC), dried blood spots (DBS), and genomic DNA from serum.

The natural history of hepatitis B virus cirrhosis after the first hepatic decompensation in Tunisia.

Aim: To define the natural long term course of viral B cirrhosis after the onset of hepatic decompensation and to determine the predictive factors of death.

Methods: Retrospective longitudinal study including 77 cases of viral B cirrhosis among 192 consecutive patients with cirrhosis, hospitalized between 1997 and 2005 for the first hepatic decompensation. All those patients were followed- up until death or until December 2006.

[Prevalence of extra-hepatic manifestations in infection with hepatitis C virus: study of 140 cases].

Aim: To determine the extrahepatic manifestations (EHM) in chronic hepatitis C and to correlate signs with age, sex, degree of fibrosis and genotype of hepatitis C virus.

Methods: One hundred forty cases of chronic infection by hepatitis C virus were investigated in a period of 10 years. By interrogation, clinical examination and laboratory tests, the EHM were determined.

[Analogs combination therapy in chronic hepatitis B: when and how?].

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomic variability is responsible for the complexity of the viral quasi-species and its evolution during the course of infection. The persistence of infected cells promotes the selection of drug-resistant strains. The development of nucleoside analogs without cross-resistance has provided a rationale for combination therapy.

Analogs and fibrosis regression in hepatitis B.

Nucleoside or nucleotide analogs (NUCs) are a major step forward in the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Apart from their proven antiviral efficacy, these drugs have proved able to significantly improve liver fibrosis as short-term treatment. Using different definitions of fibrosis regression, after 1 year of treatment, improvement in liver fibrosis was observed among HBe antigen (HBeAg)-positive naive patients: 35-61% with lamivudine; 41% with adefovir; 68% with telbivudine; 39% with entecavir; and 74% with tenofovir.