Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major causative agents of chronic liver diseases in Korea. HBV has been classified into 8 genotypes by a divergence of >8% in the entire genomic sequence, and have distinct geographic distributions. There are limited data on the relevance between HBV genotypes and clinical outcomes in Korea. To investigate the clinical feature relating to HBV genotype in Korea, a total 120 serum samples with HBsAg (65 from Seoul and 55 from the other city in Korea) were obtained from each 30 chronic HBV carriers with asymptomatic carrier (ASC), chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV genotype was determined by either enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies against genotype-specific epitopes in the preS2-region or the direct sequencing of small S gene. HBV genotypes were determined in 105 (87.5%) of 120 samples. HBV genotype C was identified in all HBV carriers with ASC, CH, LC, and HCC. Genotypes A, B, D, E, F and G were not detected in any of them. Genotype C HBV prevails predominantly among chronic carriers of the virus in Korea, irrespective of their clinical stages of liver disease and geographic origin.
Carrier State/*epidemiology/*virology ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus/*genetics/isolation and purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*epidemiology/*virology ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver Diseases/*epidemiology/*virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Risk Assessment/methods ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndromes coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection in workers from animal markets.

METHODSSelf-designed questionnaires were used and serum samples were tested. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data.

RESULTSResults from simple factor logistic regression analysis showed that jobs which dealing with domestic livestock, wild livestock, wild animals, aquatics were related to risk factors of SARS-CoV infection. Results from multifactor logistic regression analysis showed that jobs that dealing with wild livestock and poultry were important risk factors with OR 12.28 and 0.41.

CONCLUSIONJob that dealing with palm civets was the main risk factor of SARS-CoV infection in animal market workers.

Animal Husbandry ; Animals ; Carrier State ; epidemiology ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Reservoirs ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Exposure ; Poultry ; Risk Factors ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; virology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

For epidemiological investigation of the rabies virus carrier rates of domestic dogs, cats and wild animals like rodent animals and bats,three kinds of regions where rabies had higher incidence (Hunan and Guizhou Provinces), lower incidence (Jiangsu Province, Wuhan City) and provisionally rabies-free (Shenyang City) were selected. Then the antigenic types, the genovariation of the isolaled viruses and the currently vaccine matching of the virus strains were analyzed. The results showed that in China the principal host of rabies is dog,the total virus carrier rate of the captured dogs was 2.56%, and the highest positive isolation rate was 20.0% in some monitoring site. However,there was no evidence about the rabies virus carrier rate in rodent animals,bats or other wild animals. The rabies vaccines which prepared from aG and CTN strains have already been produced successfully in China. The research showed that the nucleotide sequences of the newly isolated viruses were more similar with the glycoprotein gene of CTN strain. In order to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of the vaccines currently used, two groups (50 people each) were injected with vaccine of aG strain and CTN strain respectively in five surveillance points. The neutralizing antibody tested were 0.49 IU/mL-0.52 IU/mL and 6.7 IU/mL-7.53 IU/mL after the 7 and the 14 days of vaccine injection respectively. In addition, the rates of antibody positive seroconversion were 45.1%-47.9% and 100% respectively, and there was no moderate or severe adverse reactions observed. These data showed the vaccines have satisfactory effect on safety and protection.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Carrier State ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; Cats ; virology ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Dogs ; virology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Vero Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk of HBV infection among the spouses of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and to provide a reference for developing strategies on hepatitis B control and prevention.

METHODSA case-control study including HBsAg carriers aged 20 - 45 years-old from the nationwide sero-epidemiological survey for Hepatitis B in both Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces in 2006, together with their spouses were selected as case group, while. HBsAg negative persons and their spouses were among the control groups, under the same residential areas, gender, age and age of marriage to the HBsAg carriers. Questionnaire survey and hepatitis B serological markers detection were carried out, together with the HBV genotype detection among the HBsAg positive couples between husband and wife by PCR.

RESULTSAmong the spouses of HBsAg carriers, the positive rate of HBsAg was 13.21%, while the rate was 6.29% for the spouse of HBsAg negative population, with difference statistically significant (χ² = 4.23, P < 0.05). HBsAg positive rate among spouses of the case group was higher than that in the control group. Among the spouses of HBsAg carriers, the HBsAg rate was positively correlated with the age of marriage, frequency of sexual intercourse and condom use. There were 21 pairs of HBsAg carriers between husband and wife, and HBV were isolated among 13 pairs, and there were 11 pairs carrying the same HBV genotype, accounting for 84.62%. HBV genotypes would include 8 pairs of type B and 3 pairs of type C. However, only 2 pairs were infected with different HBV genotype.

CONCLUSIONHigh risks of HBV infection existed in the spouses of HBsAg carriers. It was important to ask the HBsAg carriers to take the initiative in informing their spouses, and carrying out the appropriate measures, such as safe sex or timely hepatitis B vaccination for the spouse of HBsAg carriers etc., so as to reduce the HBV transmission between husband and wife.

Adult ; Carrier State ; blood ; virology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spouses ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo understand full-length sequence of HBV isolated from high incidence hepatocellular carcinoma area-Longan county, Guangxi.

METHODSThe nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplifying the whole HBV DNA in sera of asymptomatic carriers. The products were sequenced by clone sequencing and homological analysis.

RESULTSThis isolate contained 3 215 bases. The genotype was C and the serotype was adw. There were 40 point mutations in polymerase gene which made 11 amino acids change. There were 11,2 and 3 point mutations in PreS1, PreS2 and S gene respectively which made 3,1,1, amino acids change. Six point mutations including the double mutations (nt 1762 A to T, 1764 G to A) were found in X gene leading to 4 amino acids change. There were 13 point mutations in C gene which made 2 amino acids change. No mutation was found in a determinant and Pre C. The isolate was quite close to the isolate from Vietnamese in evolution while far from the genotype C isolates from Shanghai, Beijing and Tibet.

CONCLUSIONNo special sequence was found in the isolate from high incidence hepatocellular carcinoma area, Longan county, Guangxi.

Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; epidemiology ; Carrier State ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology

In order to evaluate the familial clustering of hepatitis B virus(HBV) and hepatitis C virus(HCV) infections and to elucidate the possible routes of HCV transmission among Korean adults with chronic liver disease, 137 household contacts of 51 chronic carriers of HBsAg and 111 household contacts of 38 controls, and 181 household contacts of 96 anti-HCV positives and 102 household contacts of 76 anti-HCV negatives were tested from July 1990 to March 1994. Of 71 non-vaccinated household contacts of HBsAg carriers, 10 gave positive result for HBsAg(14.1%), but none of the household contacts of the controls were positive for HBsAg(p< 0.05). Familial clustering of HBV infection was found, when the offspring of carriers and controls were compared. A significantly higher percentage of the offspring of carriers were positive for HBV infection(54.6% vs 15.4%, p< 0.05) with OR of 6.6(95% Cl; 1.3-34.5). No evidence of familial clustering of HCV infection was found with 2.2%(4/181) anti-HCV positivity among the household contacts of index cases, similar to 1.0%(1/102) among those of controls. History of acute hepatitis(OR 3.2), transfusion(OR 3.2), and acupuncture(OR 2.5) were associated with an increased risk of HCV infection. In conclusion, HBV has strong familial clustering whereas HCV does not in Korea.
Acupuncture Therapy/adverse effects ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biological Markers ; Blood Transfusion/adverse effects ; Carrier State ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cluster Analysis ; Comorbidity ; Comparative Study ; Contact Tracing ; *Family Health ; Female ; Hepatitis B/*epidemiology/prevention & control/transmission/virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis C/*epidemiology/prevention & control/transmission/virology ; Human ; Infant ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Age ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines