<b>OBJECTIVEb>To investigate the relationship between the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pregnant women and intrauterine infection in local region.

<b>METHODSb>The markers of hepatitis B (HBVM) were determined by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay and HBV-DNA were determined by FQ-PCR.

<b>RESULTSb>A total of 1262 pregnant women were examined the HBVM, 2.6%, 38.2%, 0.9%, 22.6%, 23.1% subjects were identified HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, HBcAb positive respectively. In 33 cases of serum HBsAg-positive pregnant women, HBV-DNA were observed in most of 11 cases of pregnant women with HBeAg-positive and intrauterine infection rates were 6/11. In contrast, 22 cases of pregnant women with HBeAg negative, HBV-DNA were detected lowly-loaded and intrauterine infection rates were 2/22 (P < 0.01). Intrauterine infection rates of HBV in pregnant women with HBsAg-positive were 24.2% (8/33).

<b>CONCLUSIONb>HBV infective rates in pregnant women in the local region were low. Pregnant women with serum HBeAg positive and HBV-DNA high-loaded were prone to intrauterine infection.

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Uterine Diseases ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Young Adult

<b>OBJECTIVEb>Through detecting the standard preparation with series of concentration to indirectly calculate the anti-HBs concentration of the serum samples, a suitable anti-HBs quantitative method for our laboratory was found after comparing the two kinds of methods.

<b>METHODSb>Detecting the anti-HBs standard preparation with series of concentration by RIA method, standard curvilinear equations were obtained by the means of fitting the detected result and the corresponding concentration by log-log model and exponential curve model respectively. Then the fitting efficiency of two curves was compared. By calculating the concentrations of the reference using two standard curvilinear equations, we can compare the accuracy of two quantitative methods.

<b>RESULTb>The error mean square of the exponential curve model is low as 1.2971 and the determinate coefficient is close to 1 with the value of 0.9904. The average concentrations (n=6) of the detected reference calculated by two curvilinear equation with the actual concentration of 30.0 mIU/mL are (32.28 +/- 1.06) and (31.91 +/- 1.06) mIU/ mL respectively. The concentration calculated by exponential curve model is only 6.37% higher than the actual concentration.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Fitting by exponential curve model is more practical to estimate the actual concentration of the serum samples those will be detected. It can be used as an optimal quantitative method to detect anti-HBs concentration.

Hepatitis B ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Radioimmunoassay ; methods

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To observe the effect of hepatitis virus B on the detection rate of core antigen of hepatitis virus C in sera of chronic hepatitis C patients.

<b>METHODb>HCVcAg and HCV RNA in sera were detected in 88 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 62 patients co-infected with HCV and HBV. At the same time, HBV DNA and HBeAg in sera were detected in 62 patients infected with HCV and HBV. Then we analyzed the correlation between HCVcAg and HBeAg/HBV DNA. The detection rates of HCVcAg in 88 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 62 patients co-infected with HCV and HBV were 72.7% (64/88) and 38.7% (24/62), respectively (x2 = 17.358, P less than 0.01).

<b>RESULTSb>The detection rates of HCV RNA in 88 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 62 patients co-infected with HCV and HBV was 81.8% (72/88) and 53.2% (33/62)respectively (x2=20.110, P less than 0.01). In 62 patients infected with HCV and HBV, the detection rate of HCVcAg in HBeAg positive patients and HBeAg negative patients were 28.6% (12/42) and 60% (12/20), respectively (x2 = 7.547, P = 0.011). Moreover, the positive rates of HBV DNA in HBeAg positive patients and HBeAg negative patients were 42.9% (18/42) and 80% (16/20), respectively (P more than 0.05). The detection rates of HCVcAg in HBV DNA positive patients and HBV DNA negative patients were 39.1% (18/46) and 37.5% (6/16), respectively (x2 = 0.013, P = 0.908). Compared with the detection rates of HCVcAg in patients only infected with HCV, the detection rate of HCVcAg in HBeAg or HBV DNA negative patients infected with HCV and HBV were 60% (12/20) (x2 = 1.266, P = 0.261) and 37.5% (6/16) (x2 =7.635, P less than 0.01), respectively.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>The detection rate of HCVcAg in patients infected with HCV and HBV is relatively low. The reason is possibly that HBeAg inhibits duplication of HCV and decreases the expression of HCVcAg.

Coinfection ; immunology ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; Hepacivirus ; immunology ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis C Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans

Previously, we constructed a humanized antibody (HuS10) that binds to the common a antigenic determinant on the S protein of HBV. In this study, we evaluated its HBV-neutralizing activity in chimpanzees. A study chimpanzee was intravenously administered with a single dose of HuS10, followed by intravenous challenge with the adr subtype of HBV, while a control chimpanzee was only challenged with the virus. The result showed that the control chimpanzee was infected by the virus, and thus serum HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) became positive from the 14th to 20th week and actively acquired serum anti-HBc and anti-HBs antibodies appeared from the 19th and 23rd week, respectively. However, in the case of the study chimpanzee, serum HBsAg became positive from the 34th to 37th week, while actively acquired serum anti-HBc and anti-HBs antibodies appeared from the 37th and 40th week, respectively, indicating that HuS10 neutralized the virus in vivo and thus delayed the HBV infection. This novel humanized antibody will be useful in the immunoprophylaxis of HBV infection.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Hepatitis B/blood/immunology/virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood/*immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*immunology ; Hepatitis B virus/*immunology ; Neutralization Tests ; Pan troglodytes/blood/*immunology/*virology

Hepatitis B ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunologic Tests ; methods ; Virus Replication

Animals ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Protein Precursors ; blood ; genetics ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To study the relationship between liver pathological changes and serum HBeAg and HBV DNA in 1057 patients with chronic hepatitis B.

<b>METHODSb>Liver puncture biopsy for histopathological examinations were performed in 1057 patients with chronic hepatitis B. The quantitative analysis of serum HBV DNA by fluorogenic quantitative PCR and HBeAg by chemoluminescence were also conducted.

<b>RESULTSb>The inflammatory grade and fibrosis stage were higher in HBeAg-negative patients (G4 and S4 were 7.83% and 12.17% respectively) than in HBeAg-positive patients (G4 and S4 were 3.39% and 5.44% respectively). The inflammatory grade and fibrosis stage were higher in HBeAg-positive patients with low-level HBV DNA (G3G4 was 45.64% and S3S4 was 30.20% for HBV DNA104-105), whereas they were higher in HBeAg-negative patients with high-level HBV DNA (G3G4 was 54.55% for HBV DNA106-107 and S3S4 was 42.85% for HBV DNA108-109).

<b>CONCLUSIONb>There were some correlation between the liver pathological changes and serum HBeAg and HBV DNA levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B. It is important to perform the liver pathological examination and antiviral therapy as early as possible in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.

DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; virology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>This study aimed to assess the clinical significance of intrahepatic hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) (+) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

<b>METHODSb>200 CHB patients were prospectively studied using fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR), combined PCR with fluorescence probe hybridization technique, to determine serum HBV DNA. Serum HBeAg was measured quantitatively. Liver biopsies were performed and immunohistochemistry stained liver slides were examined in all the cases. Correlation analyses were performed.

<b>RESULTSb>Based on the HBV DNA levels, the patients were divided into 5 groups: group A (<3 log10 copies/ml) n=20, group B (>or=3 log10 copies/ml-<5 log10 copies/ml) n=13, group C (>or=5 log10 copies/ml-<6 log10 copies/ml) n=24, group D (>or=6 log10 copies/ml-<8 log10 copies/ml) n=116, and group E (>or=8 log10 copies/ml) n=27, and 87.5% of the CHB patients were intrahepatic HBcAg (+). The rate of HBcAg (+) was 55.0% (11/20) in group A, 53.8% (7/13) in group B, 75.0% (19/24) in group C, 96.6% (112/116) in group D, and 100% (27/27) in group E. A strong correlation was found between the rate of HBcAg (+) and the level of serum HBV DNA (r=0.80). This type of association also appeared between serum HBV DNA levels and HBeAg (+) (r=0.47). Of 20 CHB patients who were serum HBV DNA negative, 25% (5) were HBeAg (+), and 55% (11) were HBcAg (+), whereas 15 patients were both HBV DNA (-) and HBeAg (-), and 46.7% (7) were HBcAg (+).

<b>CONCLUSIONSb>Intrahepatic HBcAg (+) in CHB patients might be more reliable in reflecting HBV replication. Determination of HBcAg (+) may have clinical significance for evaluating the efficacy of antiviral therapy and for predicting the therapeutic responses to different antiviral agents.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; analysis ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Liver ; virology ; Male ; Virus Replication ; Young Adult

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To study of serum level of cortisol and peripheral T lymphocyte subsets state in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers.

<b>METHODSb>Sixty chronic HBV carriers and ten healthy controls were all enrolled in this present study. Serum expression of cortisol was determined by radioimmunoassay, and also flow cytometry was performed to evaluate peripheral blood T lymphocyte subset.

<b>RESULTSb>Compared with those in normal controls, the serous levels of cortisol in chronic HBV carriers were significantly elevated, while there was no distinct difference in the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes ( P > 0.05) with the decreased odds of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes( P < 0.05) and obvious higher proportion of CD8+ T lymphocytes( P < 0.05). In comparison between HBeAg positive group and HBeAg negative group, the serous levels of cortisol of the former group were significantly higher ( P < 0.05), and so proportion of CD8+ T was too ( P < 0.05). However, there is no significant differences in the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocyte ( P > 0.05).

<b>CONCLUSIONb>The elevated serum cortisol and increased CD8+ T lymphocytes subsets in the chronic HBV carriers, suggested that there was disturbance of endocrine-immune response in the chronicity of HBV infection.

Adult ; Carrier State ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; immunology ; Male ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology