Occult hepatitis B virus infection in patients with leprosy.

Leprosy patients may present with immune system impairment and have a higher hepatitis B virus (HBV) seroprevalence, justifying the investigation of occult HBV infection in these individuals. The aim of this study was to verify the frequency and the clinical factors associated with occult HBV infection in leprosy patients. Between 2015 and 2016, leprosy patients from a reference center in Brazil were interviewed to assess clinical data.

Influence of Polymorphism (-G308A) TNF-α on the Periportal Fibrosis Regression of Schistosomiasis After Specific Treatment.

Aims: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory cytokine and important mediator of severity for periportal fibrosis (PPF). We hypothesized that the (-G380A) polymorphism in the TNF-α gene is associated with regression of PPF after treatment for schistosomiasis mansoni.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study, involving 124 Brazilian patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni, who were followed for 2 years after treatment to estimate the likelihood of PPF regression.