Perception of Medical Students towards Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Hepatitis B Vaccination in a Private Tertiary Hospital in Jos North Local Government, Plateau State, Nigeria

Background: Prevention is one of the safe schemes against the high prevalence of viral Hepatitis. Negative perceptions or perceptions about the risks of hepatitis B among medical students and health care workers may influence the behavioral pattern and adoption of preventive measures against the virus and can affect the uptake of the Hepatitis B vaccine. This study assesses the perception of medical students towards Hepatitis B virus infection and Hepatitis B Vaccination in a Private Tertiary Hospital in Jos North Local Government, Plateau State, Nigeria. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study done in August 2021 among 236 clinical medical students using a multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and analysed using the IBM SPSS 28 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Ethical approval was granted by Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Ethics Committee, Jos, Plateau State. Results: Two-thirds of respondents were of the opinion that they are at risk of contracting HBV. Half were of the opinion that the risk is very much while a third believed the risk is moderate. Among those who think they are not at risk of contracting HBV, the majority felt so because they are vaccinated while 10.3% believe that they are safe. 43.2% of respondents think that HBV Vaccine is very effective in preventing HBV infection while 39.8% think it is slightly effective, and 7.6% think it is not effective. Almost all respondents, 99.2% are of the opinion that HBV Vaccination is important for students while 0.8% think it is not important. The majority of the respondents at 95.8% were willing to be screened for HBV. The majority (85.6%) of respondents are willing to pay for HBV Vaccine as against 14.4% of respondents who are not willing to pay. Conclusion: Summarily, 21 (8.9%) of the students had a negative perception of Hepatitis B Vaccination, and 215 (91.1%) had a positive perception of Hepatitis B Vaccination. Perception-sustaining events like seminars, workshops, road shows, and campaigns should be organized among students and health workers.

Hepatitis B virus infection in patients with Wilson disease:A large retrospective study

BACKGROUND Wilson disease(WD)is the most common genetic metabolic liver disease.Some studies have shown that comorbidities may have important effects on WD.Data on hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection in patients with WD are limited.AIM To investigate the prevalence and clinical impact of HBV infection in patients with WD.METHODS The clinical data of patients with WD were analyzed retrospectively,and the data of patients with concurrent WD and HBV infection were compared with those of patients with isolated WD.RESULTS Among a total of 915 WD patients recruited,the total prevalence of current and previous HBV infection was 2.1%[95%confidence interval(CI):1.2%-3.0%]and 9.2%(95%CI:7.3%-11.1%),respectively.The main finding of this study was the identification of 19 patients with concurrent WD and chronic hepatitis B(CHB)infection.The diagnosis of WD was missed in all but two patients with CHB infection.The mean delay in the diagnosis of WD in patients with concurrent WD and CHB infection was 32.5 mo,which was significantly longer than that in patients with isolated WD(10.5 mo).The rates of severe liver disease and mortality in patients with concurrent WD and CHB infection were significantly higher than those in patients with isolated WD(63.1%vs 19.3%,P=0.000 and 36.8%vs 4.1%,P<0.001,respectively).Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a significantly higher risk of severe liver disease at the diagnosis of WD in patients with current HBV infection[odds ratio(OR)=7.748;95%CI:2.890-20.774;P=0.000)]or previous HBV infection(OR=5.525;95%CI:3.159-8.739;P=0.000)than in patients with isolated WD.CONCLUSION The total prevalence of current HBV infection in patients with WD was 2.1%.The diagnosis of WD in CHB patients is usually missed.HBV infection is an independent risk factor for severe liver disease in WD patients.The diagnosis of WD should be ruled out in some patients with CHB infection.

Viruses and autism: A Bi-mutual cause and effect

Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)is a group of heterogeneous,multi-factorial,neurodevelopmental disorders resulting from genetic and environmental factors interplay.Infection is a significant trigger of autism,especially during the critical developmental period.There is a strong interplay between the viral infection as a trigger and a result of ASD.We aim to highlight the mutual relationship between autism and viruses.We performed a thorough literature review and included 158 research in this review.Most of the literature agreed on the possible effects of the viral infection during the critical period of development on the risk of developing autism,especially for specific viral infections such as Rubella,Cytomegalovirus,Herpes Simplex virus,Varicella Zoster Virus,Influenza virus,Zika virus,and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.Viral infection directly infects the brain,triggers immune activation,induces epigenetic changes,and raises the risks of having a child with autism.At the same time,there is some evidence of increased risk of infection,including viral infections in children with autism,due to lots of factors.There is an increased risk of developing autism with a specific viral infection during the early developmental period and an increased risk of viral infections in children with autism.In addition,children with autism are at increased risk of infection,including viruses.Every effort should be made to prevent maternal and early-life infections and reduce the risk of autism.Immune modulation of children with autism should be considered to reduce the risk of infection.

Demyelinating neuropathy in patients with hepatitis B virus: A case report

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B rarely leads to demyelinating neuropathy,despite peripheral neuropathy being the first symptom of hepatitis B infection.CASE SUMMARY A 64-year-old man presented with sensorimotor symptoms in multiple peripheral nerves.Serological testing showed that these symptoms were due to hepatitis B.After undergoing treatment involving intravenous immunoglobulin and an antiviral agent,there was a notable improvement in his symptoms.CONCLUSION Although hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is known to affect hepatocytes,it is crucial to recognize the range of additional manifestations linked to this infection.The connection between long-term HBV infection and demyelinating neuropathy has seldom been documented;hence,prompt diagnostic and treatment are essential.The patient's positive reaction to immunoglobulin seems to be associated with production of the antigen-antibody immune complex.

New therapeutic options for persistent low-level viremia in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection:Increase of entecavir dosage

Chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection(CHB)is a public health concern worldwide.Current therapies utilizing nucleos(t)ide analogs(NA)have not resulted in a complete cure for CHB.Furthermore,patients on long-term NA treatment often develop low-level viremia(LLV).Persistent LLV,in addition to causing the progression of liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma,may shed light on the current plight of NA therapy.Here,we review the literature on LLV,NA treatment,and various doses of entecavir to find a strategy for improving the efficacy of this antiviral agent.For LLV patients,three therapeutic options are available,switching to another antiviral monotherapy,interferon-αswitching therapy,and continuing monotherapy.In real-world clinical practice,entecavir overdose has been used in antiviral therapy for CHB patients with NA refractory and persistent LLV,which encouraged us to conduct further in-depth literature survey on dosage and duration related entecavir studies.The studies of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics show that entecavir has the maximal selected index for safety,and has great potential in inhibiting HBV replication,in all of the NAs.In the particular section of the drug approval package published by the United States Food and Drug Administration,entecavir doses 2.5-20 mg/d do not increase adverse events,and entecavir doses higher than 1.0 mg/d might improve the antiviral efficacy.The literature survey led us to two suggestions:(1)Increasing entecavir dose to 1.0 mg/d for the treatment of NA naïve patients with HBV DNA>2×106 IU/mL is feasible and would provide better prognosis;and(2)Further research is needed to assess the long-term toxic effects of higher entecavir doses(2.5 and 5.0 mg/d),which may prove beneficial in treating patients with prior NA treatment,partial virological response,or LLV state.

Current therapeutic strategies for recurrent hepatitis B virus infection after liver transplantation

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease is the leading indication for liver transplantation (LT) in Asia,especially in China.With the introduction of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and oral antiviral drugs,the recurrent HBV infection rate after LT has been evidently reduced.However,complete eradication of recurrent HBV infection after LT is almost impossible.Recurrent graft infection may lead to rapid disease progression and is a frequent cause of death within the fi rst year after LT.At present,the availability of new oral medications,especially nucleoside or nucleotide analogues such as adefovir dipivoxil,entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate,further strengthens our ability to treat recurrent HBV infection after LT.Moreover,since combined treatment with HBIG and antiviral agents after liver re-transplantation may play an important role in improving the prognosis of recurrent HBV infection,irreversible graft dysfunction secondary to recurrent HBV infection in spite of oral medications should no longer be considered an absolute contraindication for liver re-transplantation.Published reviews focusing on the therapeutic strategies for recurrent HBV infection after LT are very limited.In this article,the current therapeutic strategies for recurrent HBV infection after LT and evolving new trends are reviewed to guide clinical doctors to choose an optimal treatment plan in different clinical settings.

Prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in haemodialysis patients from central Greece

AIM:To assess the hepatitis B virus(HBV)-DNA and the prevalence of occult HBV infection in end-stage renal failure(ESRF)patients from Central Greece. METHODS:Sera from 366 ESRF patients attending five out of six dialysis units from Central Greece were investigated for HBV-DNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Only serum samples with repeatedly detectable HBV-DNA were considered positive.IgG antibodies to hepatitis C virus(anti-HCV)were tested by a third generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),while IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV)were tested by two commercially available ELISAs.RESULTS:HBV-DNA was detected in 15/366 patient (4.1%)and HBsAg in 20/366(5.5%).The prevalenc of occult HBV infection was 0.9%(3/346 HBsAg negative patients).Occult HBV was not associate with a specific marker of HBV infection or anti-HCV o anti-HEV reactivity.There was no significant differenc in HBV-DNA titres,demographic and biochemica features,between patients with occult HBV infectio and those with HBsAg-positive chronic HBV infection. CONCLUSION:In central Greece,4%of ESRF patient had detectable HBV-DNA,though in this setting,th prevalence of occult HBV seems to be very low(0.9%).

Distribution of different hepatitis C virus genotypes in patients with hepatitis C virus infection

AIM:To investigate the presence of mixed infection and discrepancy between hepatitis C virus(HCV) genotypes in plasma,peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs),and liver biopsy specimens.METHODS:From September 2008 up to April 2009,133 patients with chronic hepatitis C referred to Firouzgar Hospital for initiation of an antiviral therapy were recruited in the study.Five milliliters of peripheral blood was collected from each patient and liver biopsy was performed in those who gave consent or had indications.HCV genotyping was done using INNO-LiPATM HCV in serum,PBMCs,and liver biopsy specimens and then conf irmed by sequencing of 5'-UTR fragments.RESULTS:The mean age of patients was 30.3 ± 17.1 years.Multiple transfusion was seen in 124(93.2%) of patients.Multiple HCV genotypes were found in 3(2.3%) of 133 plasma samples,9(6.8%) of 133 PBMC samples,and 8(18.2%) of 44 liver biopsy specimens.It is notable that the different genotypes found in PBMCs were not the same as those found in plasma and liver biopsy specimens.CONCLUSION:Our study shows that a signif icant proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C are affected by multiple HCV genotypes which may not be detectable only in serum of patients.

Previous hepatitis B viral infection–an underestimated cause of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND The etiology of pancreatic cancer remains unclear. This limits the possibility of prevention and effective treatment. Hepatitis B virus(HBV) is responsible for the development of different types of cancer, but its role in pancreatic cancer is still being discussed.AIM To assess the prevalence of previous HBV infection and to identify viral biomarkers in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) to support the role of the virus in etiology of this cancer.METHODS The data of 130 hepatitis B surface antigen-negative subjects were available for the final analysis,including 60 patients with PDAC confirmed by cytology or histology and 70 sex-and age-matched controls. All the participants were tested for HBV biomarkers in blood [antibody to hepatitis B core antigen(anti-HBc), antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen(anti-HBs) and HBV DNA], and for those with PDAC, biomarkers in resected pancreatic tissues were tested(HBV DNA, HBV pregenomic RNA and covalently closed circular DNA). We performed immunohistochemistry staining of pancreatic tissues for hepatitis B virus X antigen and Ki-67 protein. Non-parametric statistics were used for the analysis.RESULTS Anti-HBc was detected in 18/60(30%) patients with PDAC and in 9/70(13%) participants in the control group(P = 0.029). Accordingly, the odds of PDAC in anti-HBc-positive subjects were higher compared to those with no previous HBV infection(odds ratio: 2.905, 95% confidence interval: 1.191-7.084, standard error 0.455). HBV DNA was detected in 8 cases of PDAC and in 6 of them in the pancreatic tumor tissue samples only(all patients were anti-HBc positive). Blood HBV DNA was negative in all subjects of the control group with positive results of the serum anti-HBc test. Among 9 patients with PDAC, 5 revealed signs of replicative competence of the virus(covalently closed circular DNA with or without pregenomic RNA) in the pancreatic tumor tissue samples. Hepatitis B virus X antigen expression and active cell proliferation was revealed by immunohistochemistry in 4 patients with PDAC in the pancreatic tumor tissue samples.CONCLUSION We found significantly higher risks of PDAC in anti-HBc-positive patients. Detection of viral replication and hepatitis B virus X protein expression in the tumor tissue prove involvement of HBV infection in pancreatic cancer development.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection and surgical outcomes in non-B, non-C patients with curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM To investigate the prevalence, clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of occult hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection(OBI) in patients with non-B, non-C(NBNC) hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS This study retrospectively examined the cases of 78 NBNC patients with curative resection for HCC for whom DNA could be extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. OBI was determined by the HBV-DNA amplification of at least two different sets of primers by TaqM an realtime polymerase chain reaction. Possibly carcinogenetic factors such as alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) were examined. Surgical outcomes were evaluated according to diseasefree survival(DFS), overall survival(OS) and diseasespecific survival(DSS).RESULTS OBI was found in 27/78 patients(34.6%) with NBNC HCC. The OBI patients were significantly younger than the non-OBI cases at the time of surgery(average age 63.0 vs 68.1, P = 0.0334) and the OBI cases overlapped with other etiologies significantly more frequently compared to the non-OBI cases(P = 0.0057). OBI had no impact on the DFS, OS or DSS. Only tumorrelated factors affected these surgical outcomes.CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that OBI had no impact on surgical outcomes. The surgical outcomes of NBNC HCC depend on early tumor detection; this reconfirms the importance of a periodic medical examination for individuals who have NBNC HCC risk factors.

SARS-CoV-2 encoded microRNAs are involved in the process of virus infection and host immune response

The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is spreading worldwide,with the pathogenesis mostly unclear.Both virus and host-derived microRNA(miRNA)play essential roles in the pathology of virus infection.This study aims to uncover the mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity from the perspective of miRNA.We scanned the SARS-CoV-2 genome for putative miRNA genes and miRNA targets and conducted in vivo experiments to validate the virus-encoded miRNAs and their regulatory role on the putative targets.One of such virus-encoded miRNAs,MR147-3p,was overexpressed that resulted in significantly decreased transcript levels of all of the predicted targets in human,i.e.,EXOC7,RAD9A,and TFE3 in the virus-infected cells.The analysis showed that the immune response and cytoskeleton organization are two of the most notable biological processes regulated by the infection-modulated miRNAs.Additionally,the genomic mutation of SARS-CoV-2 contributed to the changed miRNA repository and targets,suggesting a possible role of miRNAs in the attenuated phenotype of SARS-CoV-2 during its evolution.This study provided a comprehensive view of the miRNA-involved regulatory system during SARS-CoV-2 infection,indicating possible antiviral therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 through intervening miRNA regulation.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection treated with PEGaspargase: A case report

BACKGROUND Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection(EBV)is a systemic EBV-positive lymphoproliferative disease,which may lead to fatal illness.There is currently no standard treatment regimen for chronic active EBV(CAEBV),and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only effective treatment.We here report a CAEBV patient treated with PEG-aspargase,who achieved negative EBV-DNA.CASE SUMMARY A 33-year-old female Chinese patient who had fever for approximately 3 mo was admitted to our hospital in December 2017.EBV-DNA was positive with a high copy number.She was diagnosed with chronic active EB virus infection.PEGaspargase was administered at a dose of 1500 U/m2 at a 14-d interval,resulting in eradication of EBV for more than 6 mo.The effect of PEG-aspargase in this patient was excellent.CONCLUSION A chemotherapy regimen containing PEG-aspargase for CAEBV may be further considered.

Heterochronic triple primary malignancies with Epstein-Barr virus infection and tumor protein 53 gene mutation:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND The diagnosis and etiology of multiple primary malignant neoplasms(MPMNs)are difficult to establish.Here,we report a case of heterochronic triple primary malignancies with gastric cancer,nasopharyngeal squamous cell cancer,and then rectal cancer.CASE SUMMARY The patient was first diagnosed with gastric cancer at the age of 33 in 2014 and underwent distal gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy and six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy.Three years later,he was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and treated with radical chemoradiotherapy in 2017.Recently,a mass in the middle of the rectum was resected and reported as ulcerative,moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.Research on the etiology of MPMNs showed that Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection may be the cause of gastric cancer and nasopharyngeal squamous cell cancer since these two primary lesions were positive for transcripts of EBV-encoded ribonucleic acid using an in situ hybridization EBV-encoded ribonucleic acid probe in formalin-fixed,paraffinembedded tissue.The cause of rectal cancer may be due to a somatic mutation of tumor protein 53 gene in exon 8(c.844C>T,p.Arg282Trp)through highthroughput sequencing for the rectal cancer.Appropriate standard therapy for each primary cancer was administered,and the patient has no evidence of cancer disease to date.CONCLUSION To our knowledge,this is the first report on heterochronic triple primary malignancies whose cause may be associated with EBV infection and tumor protein 53 genetic mutations.The etiological research may not only elucidate the cause of MPMN but also has implications in clinical management.

Stability and Hopf Bifurcation of a Virus Infection Model with a Delayed CTL Immune Response

In this paper, a virus infection model with standard incidence rate and delayed CTL immune response is investigated. By analyzing corresponding characteristic equations,the local stability of each of feasible equilibria and the existence of Hopf bifurcations at the CTL-activated infection equilibrium are established, respectively. By means of comparison arguments, it is verified that the infection-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction ratio is less than unity. By using suitable Lyapunov functional and LaSalle's invariance principle, it is shown that the CTL-inactivated infection equilibrium of the system is globally asymptotically stable if the immune response reproduction ratio is less than unity and the basic reproduction ratio is greater than unity. Numerical simulations are carried out to illustrate the theoretical result.

Qingfei oral liquid downregulates TRPV1 expression to reduce airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion injury caused by respiratory syncytial virus infection and asthma in mice

Objective:Qingfei oral liquid(QF),an experimental Chinese medicine prescription developed from the ancient priscription of traditional Chinese medicines Ma Xin Shi Gan decoction and Tingli Dazao Xie Fei decoction,has been effectively used since decades to treat patients with viral pneumonia and asthma.In our previous study,we had demonstrated that QF can significantly reduce airway hyperresponsiveness,hyperemia,lung tissue edema,inflammatory lung tissue infiltration in mice,airway mucus secretion,and peripheral airway collagen hyperplasia;however,its mechanism of action is unknown.Methods:Fifty 6–8-week-old male BALB/c mice were equally and randomly divided into five groups:the control,ovalbumin(OVA),OVA+respiratory syncytial virus(RSV),QF,and dexamethasone(Dxms)groups.The QF group was administered QF at 1.17 g·kg−1·d−1,the Dxms group received dexamethasone injections at 0.2 mg·kg−1·d−1,and the remaining groups were administered PBS.Inflammation in the lung tissue was assessed by hematoxylin and eosin(HE),periodic acid–Schiff(PAS),and Van Gieson staining.ELISA was used to evaluate the IL-13,IL-25,and IL-33 in the mice.Western blotting was used to examine changes in the proteins levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1(TRPV1)and mucin 5AC(MUC5AC)in the lung tissues of mice.Results:Histopathological evaluation revealed that the OVA and OVA+RSV groups exhibited lung tissue edema and inflammatory lung tissue infiltration in the HE staining and airway secretions in the PAS staining;collagen hyperplasia around the airway was increased in these two groups compared with the control group.The QF group exhibited significantly reduced lung tissue edema,inflammatory lung tissue infiltration,airway secretions,and collagen hyperplasia around the airway compared with the OVA+RSV group.We analyzed the serum levels of IL-13,IL-25,and IL-33 in the mice and found that these levels were higher in the OVA and OVA+RSV groups than in the control group(P<0.05 in the OVA group,P<0.01 in the OVA+RSV group).The QF group exhibited significantly decreased serum levels of IL-13,IL-25,and IL-33 compared with the OVA+RSV group(all P<0.05).The Dxms group also exhibited significant decreases in the serum levels of IL-13 and IL-33(all P<0.05)but no significant decrease in the serum levels of IL-25 compared with the RSV+OVA group.Finally,we examined the protein levels of TRPV1 and MUC5AC in the lung tissues of mice using Western blotting.After identifying RSV infection in the mice with asthma,the protein levels of TRPV1 and MUC5AC in the lung tissues of mice were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05,P<0.01).We found that compared with RSV+OVA,QF can significantly downregulate the protein level of TRPV1;further,the protein level of MUC5AC was also significantly reduced(all P<0.001).Conclusion:QF can inhibit RSV replication and reduce airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion injury caused by RSV infection and asthma,and its mechanism of action may be associated with the downregulation of TRPV1 expression and a decrease in airway mucus hypersecretion injury.

The association between the genetic polymorphisms of LMP2/LMP7 and the outcomes of HCV infection among drug users

Objective：To investigate a possible association of LMP2/LMP7 genes with chronic hepatitis C virus（HCV） infection,and to assess whether LMP2/LMP7 genes could influence the outcomes of HCV infection among drug users.Methods：Genomic DNAs of 362 anti-HCV sero-positive drug users and 225 control drug users were extracted from the peripheral blood leukocytes.The sero-positive patients were divided into those who had persistent infection and those who had spontaneously cleared the infection.Polymorphisms of LMP genes were determined by PCR combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism（RFLP）.Results：The distribution of LMP2 genotypes among the control,persistent infection and spontaneous clearance groups were not different.However,the LMP7 codon 145 Gln/Lys,Lys/Lys,and Gln/Lys＋Lys/Lys genotypes were found significantly more frequent in the persistent infection group than in control group（OR=1.75,95%CI=1.06～2.90;OR=3.16,95%CI=1.23-8.12;OR=1.94,95%CI=1.21-3.12,respectively）.Similarly,the frequencies of the codon 145 Gln/Lys,Lys/Lys,and Gln/Lys＋Lys/Lys genotypes were found significantly more frequent in the persistent infection group than in the spontaneous clearance group（OR=1.64,95%CI=1.04-2.57;OR=2.40,95%CI=1.09-5.28;OR=1.76,95%CI=1.152.69,respectively）.Stratified analysis indicated that combined genotype Gln/Lys＋Lys/Lys of the LMP7 gene was related to an increasing susceptibility to HCV infection（OR=1.91,95%CI=1.02-3.55;OR=2.19,95%CI=1.243.89;OR=1.91,95%CI=1.05-3.48,OR=2.86,95%CI=1.41-5.78,respectively）and the risk of persistent HCV infection（OR=1.94,95%CI=1.12-3.34;OR=2.02,95%CI=1.21-3.38;OR=1.78,95%CI=1.12-2.85,OR=2.23,95%CI=1.09-4.58,respectively）among30-year-old,males,the injection drug user（IDU）subjects and/or the shorter duration drug users（≤5 y）.Conclusion：These results suggest that polymorphism of the LMP7 gene may have an influence on the outcomes of HCV infection,and is one of the factors accounting for the genetic susceptibility to HCV infection among drug users.

High Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Compared to Human Immunodeficiency Virus among Blood Donors in Bangui

Introduction: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a public health problem worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: to compare the epidemiological, clinical and biological characteristics of chronic HBV and HIV infection in blood donors at the National Center for Blood Transfusion (NCBT) in Bangui. Patients and Methods: This was an 8-month analytical cross-sectional study from August 10, 2011 to April 9, 2012. During this study, we consecutively enrolled consenting blood donors of both sexes in which the search for HBsAg and HIV infection was carried out. Results: During the study period, 850 blood donors were collected. HBsAg was found in 142 donors (16.7%), of whom 55 blood donors (6.5%) were coinfected with HIV. On the other hand, HIV serology was positive in 77 blood donors (9.1%) including 55 co-infected (6.5%) with HBV. In order to better compare the risk factors, we have not included HIV-HBV coinfected patients. Only 795 blood donors were selected for the risk factor study. There were 87 cases of HBsAg positive (10.9%) and 22 cases of HIV positive (2.8%). The average age of HIV and HBV infected patients was 25.7 and 26.2 years, respectively. Twelve blood donors (1.5%) over the age of 20 were HBsAg versus 3 HIV positive blood donors (0.4%). Among blood donors over the age of 20, 75 (9.9%) were HBsAg positive, while 19 (2.4%) were HIV positive. Men were infected with HIV in 20 cases (2.5%), while those infected with HBV were 84 (10.6%). The risk factor found during HIV infection and HBV was unprotected sex with a p of 0.0038 and 0.0017 respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of HBV infection is higher than that of HIV among blood donors in Bangui. The setting up of a national viral hepatitis control program, which will develop screening, treatment and vaccination actions could make the curve bend.

Hepatitis B virus infection reactivation in patients under immunosuppressive therapies:Pathogenesis,screening,prevention and treatment

With a 5.3%of the global population involved,hepatitis B virus(HBV)is a major public health challenge requiring an urgent response.After a possible acute phase,the natural history of HBV infection can progress in chronicity.Patients with overt or occult HBV infection can undergo HBV reactivation(HBVr)in course of immunosuppressive treatments that,apart from oncological and hematological diseases,are also used in rheumatologic,gastrointestinal,neurological and dermatological settings,as well as to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.The risk of HBV reactivation is related to the immune status of the patient and the baseline HBV infection condition.The aim of the present paper is to investigate the risk of HBVr in those not oncological settings in order to suggest strategies for preventing and treating this occurrence.The main studies about HBVr for patients with occult hepatitis B infection and chronic HBV infection affected by non-oncologic diseases eligible for immunosuppressive treatment have been analyzed.The occurrence of this challenging event can be reduced screening the population eligible for immunosuppressant to assess the best strategies according to any virological status.Further prospective studies are needed to increase data on the risk of HBVr related to newer immunomodulant agents employed in non-oncological setting.

ROLE OF COLPOSCOPY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF HUMAN PAPI- LLOMAVIRUS INFECTION OF THE UTERINE CERVIX

Among 6706 women screened by cytology, only 9 (0.13%) showed evidence of human pppillomavirus infection (HPVI). In 133 women examined by colposcopy for abnormal cytology or/ and suspected lestions on the cervix, 41.(30. 8%) showed subclinical papillomavirus infection (SPI), while 17. 4% and 5. 3% showed HPVI by histopathology and cytology, respectively. The conformation rate between colposcopy and pathology was 69. 6%. Sixty-nine specimens out of 133 colposcopy piled biopaies were assayed by HPV-DNA dot hybridization with 6B/11, 16, 18 probes to detect the presence of HPV-DNA In the cervical specimens. Thirty-nine (56.5%) gave a positive result. The colposcopic predictive value of positive result for HPVI was 76.7%. The difference between colposcopy (59%) and pathology (20. 5%) is statistically significant (P<0. 01). These results suggest that colposcopy is superior to cytology and hjstopathology for the detection of SPI in the cervix. In colposcopy HPV-DNA positive women, aceto while epithelium was most common (28. 2%) . As it is difficult to differentiate SPI from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia especially the Grade Ⅰ lesion by colposcopy, discrimination criteria are proposed together with the chief colposcopic features of SPI.