Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the worldwide sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and the DNA of HPV can exist in the normal epithelium of reproductive organs of both men and women. Because the majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic, healthy HPV-carriers become the main source of the infection. Studies show that HPV infection in men is correlated with STD, infertility, tumor of reproductive organs, and infection in the sexual partners. Therefore, measures should be taken to reduce male HPV infection, including circumcision, fewer sexual partners, and condom use.
Adult ; Asymptomatic Infections ; Carrier State ; virology ; Circumcision, Male ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; virology ; Male ; Papillomaviridae ; Papillomavirus Infections ; complications ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Reproductive Health ; Risk Factors ; Sexual Partners ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; virology

Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) could occur in infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers after active and passive immunization, even though their serological patterns suggested successful protection from HBV mother-to-infant transmission according to the current criteria of being HBsAg-negative and anti-HBs positive. We should take into account its potential clinical impact and reconsider the effectiveness of the present immunoprophylaxis against HBV in this population. This review will focus on topics including the prevalence, serological features and probable risk factors underlying the phenomenon of OBI in infants with HBsAg carrier mothers after immunization.
Carrier State ; Child ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Immunization ; Infant ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; prevention & control ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; virology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of combination therapy with peg-IFNalpha and adefovir (CPIA) in women who were hepatfis B virus (HBV) carriers and had just given birth and received telbivudine (LdT) during pregnancy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

METHODSOne-hundred-and-fifty third trimester-pregnant women who were HBV carriers with highly-viremic were treated with LdT until time of birth. After delivery, those women with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level exceeding two times the upper limit of normal and HBV DNA level that had decreased more than 31 gIU/mL or hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) titer that had decreased more than 50% were switched to CPIA for 96 weeks.

RESULTSFollowing delivery, 45 of the women were switched to the CPIA treatment, of which 91.1% (41/45) achieved virological response, 55.6% (25/45) achieved HBeAg clearance or seroconversion, and 26.7% (12/45) achieved hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance or seroconversion.The immediate post-delivery (and pre-CPIA) levels of HBeAg and HBV DNA were negatively associated with HBeAg clearance. Ninety-eight of the total study participants stopped the LdT treatment and there were no cases of significant deterioration of liver function.

CONCLUSIONPregnant women who are HBV carriers and receive LdT for protection against mother-to-child transmission, and who show significant ALT elevation and decreased HBeAg titer and/or reduced HBV DNA after delivery, may be good candidates for the CPIA therapy following delivery.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Carrier State ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; prevention & control ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Organophosphonates ; therapeutic use ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; drug therapy ; virology ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of the present study were to determine the outcomes of inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers over a 10-year study period and to elucidate the HBV serological profile of their family members. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical files of inactive HBsAg carriers followed up at the Department of Infectious Diseases of Kocatepe University Medical Faculty Hospital between March 2001 and January 2011. RESULTS: In total, 438 inactive HBsAg carriers were enrolled in this trial. The follow-up period was 33.7+/-22.5 months (mean+/-SD). Anti-hepatitis-B surface antibody seroconversion occurred in 0.7% of cases, while chronic hepatitis B was found in 0.5%. The anti-hepatitis-D virus (HDV) status was evaluated in 400 patients and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 430. It was found that 1% and 0.2% were positive for anti-HDV and anti-HCV, respectively. HBV serology was investigated in at least 1 family member of 334/438 (76.3%) patients. The HBsAg positivity rate was 34.6% in 625 family members of 334 patients. A comparison of the HBsAg positivity rates in terms of HBV DNA levels in index cases revealed that HBsAg seropositivity rates were higher in family members of HBV DNA-negative patients than in family members of HBV DNA-positive cases (P=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The HBsAg positivity rate was higher in family members of inactive HBsAg carriers than in the general population; these family members therefore have a higher risk of HBV transmission. Furthermore, despite negative HBV DNA levels, transmission risk was not reduced in these patients, and horizontal transmission seems to be independent of the HBV DNA value.
Adult ; Antibodies/blood ; Carrier State ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Family Health ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*blood ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*diagnosis/transmission/virology ; Hepatitis Delta Virus/immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome distribution of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers in immunotolerant phase (ITP).

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-five chronic HBV carriers in ITP, seen in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from May 2009 to December 2010, were admitted in an observational study under the guidance of CM. Patients' CM symptoms and signs, demographics, liver biochemistries, and qualitative HBV DNA were recorded in the questionnaires. CM syndromes were then differentiated to 15 detailed types and analyzed by generalization. Lastly, the location, pathogenic factors and nature of the disease were also assessed.

RESULTSWhen CM syndrome patterns were differentiated to 15 types, there were 27 (15%) no syndrome cases, 94 (50%) single syndrome cases and 64 (35%) compound syndromes cases. The main detailed syndromes included Liver (Gan)-qi depression (LQD), Kidney (Shen)-qi deficiency (KQD), Spleen (Pi)-qi deficiency (SQD) and Kidney-yang deficiency (KYAD). After CM syndromes generalized to five types, their frequency was Spleen-Kidney deficiency (SKD)>LQD>inner dampness-heat retention (IDHR)>Liver-Kidney deficiency (LKD)>blood stasis blocking collateral (BSBC). SKD and LQD occupied 64%. The disease location included Liver, Gallbladder (Dan), Spleen, Stomach (Wei) and Kidney. The pathogenic factors were mainly qi stagnation, qi deficiency, yang deficiency, concurrently dampness-heat and blood stasis. The deficiency syndrome was more than excess syndrome in its nature.

CONCLUSIONSMost of chronic HBV carriers in ITP have their CM syndrome, and the most common types are SKAD, LQD. This study suggests that the natural history may be improved through breaking the state of immune tolerance or shorten the time of ITP by strengthening Spleen-Kidney and reliving Liver qi.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Carrier State ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Liver ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Syndrome ; Viscera ; pathology ; Young Adult

Carrier State ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

The p53 signaling pathway works as a potent barrier to tumor progression. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene loci of p53 pathway, p53 codon 72 Arg72Pro and MDM2 SNP309 (T > G), have been shown to cause perturbation of p53 function, but the effect of the two SNPs on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains inconsistent. This study investigated the influence of combined p53 Arg72Pro and MDM2 SNP309 on the risk of developing HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, and evaluated the significance of the two combined SNPs on patient prognosis. In total, 350 HCC patients, 230 non-HCC patients, and 96 healthy controls were genotyped for the p53 Arg72Pro and MDM2 SNP309. The combined p53 Pro/Pro and MDM2 G/G genotype was significantly associated with HCC risk (P = 0.047). Multivariate analysis indicated that combined p53 Pro/Pro and MDM2 G/G genotype was an independent factor affecting recurrence and survival (P < 0.05). Patients with combined p53 Pro/Pro and MDM2 G/G genotypes had a poorer prognosis than other genotypes, P < 0.01 for both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). DFS and OS rates also differed significantly between Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A patients with combined p53 Pro/Pro and MDM2 G/G and other genotypes (P < 0.05). Thus, the combined p53 Pro/Pro and MDM2 G/G genotype is associated with increased risk of developing HCC and is an independent adverse prognostic indicator in early stage HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; genetics ; surgery ; virology ; Carrier State ; virology ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; physiology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; surgery ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the syndrome types in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and serum HBV DNA load in chronic HBV carriers positive for HBeAg.

METHODSAccording to the TCM syndrome types, 185 chronic HBV carriers with HBeAg positivity were classified into single syndrome group (liver Qi depression, kidney Qi deficiency, spleen Qi deficiency, and kidney Yang deficiency), compound syndrome group, and unidentifiable syndrome group; based on the nature of the condition in TCM terms, the patients were classified into excess syndrome group, deficiency syndrome group and comorbidity syndrome group. The serum HBV DNA levels in these cases were analyzed in relation to the TCM syndrome types and disease nature.

RESULTSHBV DNA levels showed no significant difference among the patients with single syndrome, compound syndromes and unidentifiable syndrome (F=0.910, P=0.404), nor among the patients with the 5 different single TCM syndromes (χ²=4.672, P=0.323) or those with different disease nature (F=0.631, P=0.596).

CONCLUSIONSerum HBV DNA level can not be considered as the evidence for syndrome differentiation in chronic HBV carriers with positive HBeAg.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Carrier State ; blood ; diagnosis ; Child ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of HBV antigens and pathological mechanism of chronic HBV infection by analyzing the cellular immune function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HBsAg carriers.

METHODSPBMCs were prepared from individuals with chronic asymptomatic HBV infection and cultured in the presence of different antigens and/ or cytokines. The levels of cytokines in culture supernatants were detected by ELISA method. The phenotype of the cells was detected by FACS.

RESULTSThe levels of IFN y secreted by PBMCs from HBsAg carriers were (48.3+/-19.8) pg/ml, significantly lower than that from healthy controls (t = 3.023, P less than 0.05); The IFN y produced by PBMCs from HBeAg positive patients due to HBsAg and HBcAg stimulation were (50.4+/-51.6) pg/ml and (63.2+/-36.9) pg/ml, significantly lower than that of HBeAg negative patients (t = 2.468 and 3.184, P less than 0.05, respectively). The IL-12p70 secreted by PBMCs from HBeAg positive patients was also significantly lower than that of HBeAg negative patients (P less than 0.05); Exogenous IL-12 promoted significantly PBMCs to secrete IFN y (P less than 0.01) and IL-12 combined with HBV antigens activated CD8+CD45RA+CCR7+ and CD8+CD45RA-CD62L+ cells. IL-12 secreted by PBMCs decreased in HBeAg positive patients, which may be the crucial reason of viral persistence in chronic HBV carriers. Exogenous IL-12 combined with specific HBV antigen could promote the central memory CD8+ T cells to produce IFN y.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Carrier State ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Case-Control Studies ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Young Adult

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 is a key cytokine producing extracellular matrix. We evaluated the effect of TGF-beta1 gene polymorphism at codon 10 on the development of cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. One hundred seventy eight patients with chronic hepatitis (CH, n=57) or liver cirrhosis (LC, n=121), who had HBsAg and were over 50 yr old, were enrolled. The genotypes were determined by single strand conformation polymorphism. There were no significant differences in age and sex ratio between CH and LC groups. HBeAg positivity and detection rate of HBV DNA were higher in LC than in CH groups (P=0.055 and P=0.003, respectively). There were three types of TGF-beta1 gene polymorphism at codon 10: proline homozygous (P/P), proline/leucine heterozygous (P/L), and leucine homozygous (L/L) genotype. In CH group, the proportions of P/P, P/L, and L/L genotype were 32%, 51%, and 17%, respectively. In LC group, the proportions of those genotypes were 20%, 47%, and 33%, respectively. The L/L genotype was presented more frequently in LC than in CH groups (P=0.017). Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirms that detectable HBV DNA (odds ratio [OR]: 3.037, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.504-6.133, P=0.002) and L/L genotype (OR: 3.408, 95% CI: 1.279-9.085, P=0.014) are risk factors for cirrhosis.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; *Carrier State ; *Codon ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics ; *Hepatitis B, Chronic/genetics/virology ; Humans ; *Liver Cirrhosis/genetics/virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*genetics