Frequent detection of hepatitis B virus X-gene DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent liver tissue in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patients.

Hepatitis B virus is associated with human hepatocellular carcinoma. We performed polymerase chain reaction for the X, C, S, and preS2/S regions of the viral genome in 23 hepatitis B surface antigen-negative hepatocellular carcinomas and adjacent liver. Hepatitis B viral genomes were detected in 17 of 23 tumors and adjacent tissues (73.

Are human herpes viruses or measles virus associated with esophageal achalasia?

In order to test the hypothesis that esophageal achalasia may be due to neurotropic viral damage to the esophageal myenteric plexus, esophageal tissue with or without achalasia was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of human herpes virus DNA or measles virus RNA. The DNA and RNA were extracted from the esophageal muscle of 12 patients with achalasia and six patients with upper esophageal carcinoma. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from eight adult volunteers and two samples of umbilical blood mononuclear cells were also used as controls.

Sporadic visceral neuropathy.

We encountered three cases of chronic functional colonic obstruction caused by intramural ganglion cell death. Morphologic and pharmacological studies were performed using resected specimens. The patients included a 59-year-old man, a 72-year-old woman, and a 28-year-old man.