Review of Albanian studies suggests the need for further efforts to counteract significant hepatitis B virus prevalence.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is categorized as one of the smallest enveloped DNA viruses and is the prototypical virus of the Hepatoviridae family. It is usually transmitted through body fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal secretions. The majority (more than 95%) of immunocompetent adults infected with HBV spontaneously clear the infection.

Sequence of events leading to primary biliary cholangitis.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease that is observed more frequently in middle-aged women. This disorder is considered an autoimmune disease, since liver injury is sustained by the presence of self-directed antimitochondrial antibodies targeting the bile duct cells. The prognosis may vary depending on an early diagnosis and response to therapy.

The impact of experience on recurrence rates after biopsy punch excision for pilonidal disease.

Aim: We present the outcomes and the recurrences of 848 patients with pilonidal disease (PD) treated by biopsy punch excision (BPE) and we weigh our results against progressively obtained operative experience. BPE is a modified 'merged' version of both the Bascom 'pit picking' procedure and the Gips procedure. It employs biopsy punches of different calibre, depending on whether treatment is in the natal cleft (calibre as small as possible) or lateral (larger calibre punches or even small incision).