Background: A large outbreak of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the U.K. occurred between 2001 and 2005 in Bristol, U.K.
Objectives: To identify HBV strains circulating amongst risk groups in the HBV outbreak cohort.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study of acute HBV outbreak cases in Bristol.
Results: HBV sequences from sera of 95 of the 237 cases (40%) were characterised. The majority of cases (77%) were found to carry an HBV variant belonging to genotype D, designated HBV(BV). Eighty-eight percent (36/41) of sequences from injection drug users were HBV(BV) as were 70% (19/27) from those with heterosexual intercourse as the primary identified risk factor. Of 15 sequences characterised from cases of pre-outbreak acute or chronic hepatitis B residing in Bristol, 40% also carried HBV(BV); the earliest was from a case identified in 1994.
Conclusion: The findings from this study link the spread of HBV(BV) from injecting drug users to the general population through heterosexual intercourse during the outbreak. The molecular sequencing of specimens from this outbreak reports the emergence of HBV(BV), a HBV strain circulating in Bristol and South West England, as the cause of one of the largest outbreaks of acute hepatitis B in the U.K.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2011.10.012 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Baseline Alpha-Fetoprotein Elevation and the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicentre Cohort Study.
J Viral Hepat
March 2025
Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and its changes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) may influence the risk of future hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to evaluate the HCC risk in CHB patients with no overt HCC but with elevated AFP level and to explore the prognostic role of longitudinal changes in AFP and liver-related laboratory values. This multicentre cohort study included 10,639 CHB patients without a history of HCC from seven medical facilities in South Korea.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFShort-term costs of alcohol-associated hepatitis care in different clinical settings.
Hepatol Commun
February 2025
Department of Biostatistics & Health Data Science, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Background: Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) leads to high rates of mortality and health care costs. Understanding the immediate costs after an AH diagnosis and identifying key cost factors is crucial for health care policies and clinical decisions.
Objectives: This study quantifies medical costs within 30 days of an AH diagnosis across outpatient (OP), emergency department (ED), and inpatient (IP) settings.
Mindray CL-900i assay: An effective assay for hepatitis B surface antigen screening with superior specificity.
IJID Reg
March 2025
Laboratory Section, Medical Commission Department, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
Objectives: The chemiluminescence immunoassay automated Abbott ARCHITECT hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) screening assay is globally recognized for its superior sensitivity but notably low specificity. This mandates positive results confirmation by another confirmatory assay, such as the widely used Abbott ARCHITECT HBsAg neutralizing assay. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the new chemiluminescence immunoassay, Mindray CL-900i HBsAg screening assay in comparison to the ARCHITECT neutralizing/confirmatory assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatitis C Virus Seroprevalence, Incidence, and Screening Patterns in Ontario Preexposure Prophylaxis Users.
Open Forum Infect Dis
January 2025
Division of Infectious Diseases, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has emerged as a sexually transmitted infection in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). We estimated the seroprevalence and incidence of HCV infection and examined patterns of HCV testing among GBM using human immunodeficiency virus preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Ontario, Canada.
Methods: We analyzed data from the Ontario PrEP Cohort Study (ON-PrEP), a prospective cohort of PrEP users from 10 Ontario clinics.
Pooled prevalence and associated factors of traditional uvulectom among children in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Background: Traditional childhood uvulectomy (TCU) is an unregulated cultural practice associated with significant health risks, including infections, anemia, aspiration, and oral or pharyngeal injuries. The reuse of unsafe tools such as blades, needles, or thread loops exacerbates the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis B. Despite its clinical significance, the pooled prevalence and associated factors of TCU have not been adequately examined through systematic reviews or meta-analyses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!