Postnatal horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in early childhood seems to be the predominant method by which high hepatitis B carrier rates in the Middle East are maintained. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive status among siblings of HBV carriers is similar during childhood and adulthood, suggesting that childhood intrafamilial transmission patterns persist into adult life. There is a tendency for asymptomatic HBV carriers to have higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values, a feature that also tends to cluster in families. Infection in the first five years of life contributes most to the case load of chronic liver disease and thus to mortality from HBV. Mass hepatitis B immunisation programmes have been started, and while they may eventually reduce the HBV carrier state and liver disease loads significantly, prospects for total eradication of HBV in the near future are not good.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1398035 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gut.38.suppl_2.s2 | DOI Listing |
JAMA Dermatol
January 2025
Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Malta.
Importance: Variation in nicastrin (NCSTN) is associated with a monogenic subtype of hidradenitis suppurativa. Dysregulation of humoral immunity has been suggested as a potential mechanistic link between NCSTN variation and hidradenitis suppurativa. There is a paucity of biomarkers that can predict disease-associated variation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Epidemiol Glob Health
January 2025
Center of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, No.201-209 Hubinnan Road, Xiamen, 361004, China.
Background: During the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2022 in China, some laboratory workers in SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing (NAT) laboratories remained uninfected.
Objectives: To evaluate if the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reduced in laboratory workers who performed SARS-CoV-2 NAT, and whether this reduction resulted from the healthy worker effect.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 423 laboratory workers from 14 SARS-CoV-2 NAT laboratories in Xiamen, China.
J Viral Hepat
March 2025
Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France.
J Viral Hepat
March 2025
Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Current guidelines to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are based on risk assessments that include age, sex, and virological and biochemical parameters. The study aim was to investigate the impact of predictive markers on long-term outcomes. The clinical outcomes of 100 patients with chronic hepatitis B were investigated 30 years after a baseline assessment that included liver biopsy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ 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 PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!