Interferon alone or combined with ribavirin for acute prolonged infection with hepatitis C virus in chimpanzees.

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) persisted for longer than 29 weeks in 2 chimpanzees after they had been inoculated with it experimentally. One of them (C-210) received short-term subcutaneous interferon-α (IFN-α) 6 million units (MU) daily for 7 days at week 29. He cleared HCV RNA from the serum and remained negative for it during 25 weeks after the withdrawal of IFN.

Effect of selective vaccination on a decrease in the rate of hepatitis B virus-positive Japanese first-time blood donors.

The government of Japan started a selective vaccination programme to prevent mother-to-infant infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) since January 1986. The effect of the programme on first-time blood donors has not been examined in detail. Data of first-time blood donors aged 16-25 years from 1996 to 2007 were extracted from the Japanese Red Cross (JRC) donors' database.

Age- and gender-specific distributions of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in Japanese HBV-positive blood donors.

Background: There are an increasing number of reports on the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype distribution in acute or chronic HBV-infected patients in Japan; however, reports on the HBV genotype of blood donors are few. To compare the HBV genotypes of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive blood donors with infected patients, all the HBsAg-positive donors' genotypes were determined.

Study Design And Methods: Data on Japanese blood donors from October 2006 to September 2007 were obtained from the Japanese Red Cross database.

Titration of hepatitis B virus infectivity in the sera of pre-acute and late acute phases of HBV infection: transmission experiments to chimeric mice with human liver repopulated hepatocytes.

Studies of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in non-human primates such as chimpanzees are no longer possible due to ethical considerations and the endangered status of chimpanzees since April 2007 in Japan. A human hepatocyte transplanted chimeric mouse was used to characterize HBV infectivity in serial stages of acute infection. Chimeric mice were inoculated intravenously with serum samples obtained from an experimentally infected chimpanzee with HBV.

Minimum infectious dose of hepatitis B virus in chimpanzees and difference in the dynamics of viremia between genotype A and genotype C.

Background: In planning optimal hepatitis B virus (HBV) blood screening strategies, the minimum infectious dose and early dynamics of HBV need to be determined for defining the window period for HBV DNA as well as for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

Study Design And Methods: Pairs of chimpanzees were inoculated with preacute-phase inocula containing HBV of genotype A or genotype C to determine the minimum infectious dose, and two pairs of chimps infected with the lowest infectious dose of genotypes A and C were followed for HBV markers.

Results: The minimum 50 percent chimpanzee infectious dose (CID50) was estimated to be approximately 10 copies for genotype A and for genotype C.

Infectivity of blood components with low hepatitis B virus DNA levels identified in a lookback program.

Background: Japanese Red Cross (JRC) blood centers implemented anti-hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) screening in 1989 and 50-minipool (MP)-nucleic acid testing (NAT) in 2000. A systematic lookback study has been conducted to determine the hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission risk of donations drawn in the pre-hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and/or MP-NAT window phase and by donors with occult HBV infection.

Study Design And Methods: JRC blood centers have been storing aliquots of every blood donation since 1996.

Early dynamics of hepatitis C virus in the circulation of chimpanzees with experimental infection.

Two chimpanzees were inoculated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and followed on a daily basis for 12 days. HCV RNA became detectable in their sera on day 5 by polymerase chain reaction with the detection limit of 10(2) copies/ml. Based on an exponential growth observed until 8 or 9 days after inoculation in their sera, the doubling time of HCV in the circulation was estimated at 6.

Titration of hepatitis C virus in chimpanzees for determining the copy number required for transmission.

Objective: To determine the copy number of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, determined by nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) for screening blood units in Japan, that can transmit infection to chimpanzees.

Methods: Fresh-frozen plasma with markers of HCV infection, as well as inocula pedigreed from 1 of them, were evaluated for the infectious activity in chimpanzees.

Results: One unit each (273-282 ml) of fresh-frozen plasma from 2 blood donors or a pool from 13 donors to make a unit, which contained high-titered antibody to HCV but without HCV RNA detectable by NAT, did not infect any of 3 chimpanzees.

Superiority of minipool nucleic acid amplification technology for hepatitis B virus over chemiluminescence immunoassay for hepatitis B surface antigen screening.

Background And Objectives: The Japanese Red Cross (JRC) have developed a fully automated multiplex (MPX) nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) system for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). This is used to test serologically negative blood units from volunteer, non-remunerated donors. The system utilizes a 50-sample pool for NAT screening with an input volume of each pool.

Peroral cholangioscopic treatment of hepatolithiasis: Long-term results.

Background: Peroral cholangioscopic lithotomy is an effective treatment for extrahepatic bile duct stones. However, an evaluation of the usefulness and long-term results of peroral cholangioscopic lithotomy for hepatolithiasis has not been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and long-term results of peroral cholangioscopic lithotomy for hepatolithiasis.

Analysis of distribution of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in broilers by using restriction fragment length polymorphism of flagellin gene.

The incidence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in broiler farms was 33.9% (19/56). C.

Direct detection of Campylobacter jejuni in chicken cecal contents by PCR.

Campylobacter jejuni in chicken feces was detected by PCR and Southern blot hybridization (SBH). The detection limits of C. jejuni in chicken feces were 34,000 cells by PCR and 340 cells by SBH.

A survey of Campylobacter jejuni in broilers from assignment to slaughter using DNA-DNA hybridization.

A survey of Campylobacter jejuni in the cecal contents of broilers raised on a farm was carried out by the DNA-DNA hybridization method from the day of assignment to slaughter at about 1-week intervals. C. jejuni was detected in chickens as early as 1 week of age, and was widely detected at each week of age throughout the growing period.

Application of a DNA-DNA hybridization method for detection of Campylobacter jejuni in chicken feces.

A direct colony hybridization method was used for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni in chicken feces. The biotin-labeled DNA prepared from the whole genome DNA of C. jejuni subsp.

Production and characterization of serovar-specific monoclonal antibodies to serovars 4, 8, and 9 of Mycobacterium intracellulare.

Serovar-specific monoclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare-Mycobacterium scrofulaceum complex serovars 4, 8, and 9 were prepared. Nine, four, and one monoclonal antibodies, respectively, to the serovars were prepared by the usual cell fusion technique. All nine monoclonal antibodies to serovar 4 were monospecific for their homologous serovar and reacted with several native glycopeptidolipids (GPLs) and one major deacylated GPL from the homologous serovar.

Light and electron microscopic observations on granulomatous lesions in pigs dosed with Mycobacterium intracellulare.

The histology and ultrastructure of the granulomatous lesions were studied in 18 pigs dosed orally with Mycobacterium intracellulare serotype 8. The pigs were killed 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks after dosing. Histologically, initial granulomatous lesions were seen in the tonsils 6 and 8 weeks after dosing.

Relationship between serotype and certain biological and biochemical characteristics of strains of the Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare complex.

Some relationships among Schaefer's serotypes and biological and biochemical characteristics were observed in strains of the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex. Strains belonging to serotypes 2 and 16 lacked the capacity to utilize n- and iso-butanols as the sole source of carbon in the presence of ammoniacal nitrogen. However, strains of serotype 2 grew at 45 C and lacked arylsulfatase activity (after 14 days), whereas strains of serotype 16 failed to grow at 45 C and showed positive arylsulfatase activity.