Betacoronavirus ; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Liver/pathology* ; Liver Diseases/virology* ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2

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 incidence, clinical features, and treatment of perinatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, as well as the factors affecting the therapeutic effect of ganciclovir.

METHODSThe clinical data of 237 infants who were hospitalized and diagnosed with perinatal CMV infection from 2008 to 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe clinical features of infants with perinatal CMV infection and the proportion of such infants in all hospitalized infants showed no significant differences across the five years. In most infants, two or more systems were involved, and CMV hepatitis plus CMV pneumonia was most common (43.1%). The results of pathogen detection showed that the percentage of the infants with positive blood CMV-IgM and blood/urine CMV-DNA was 3.8%, while 90.3% of all infants had positive blood CMV-IgM alone and 5.9% had positive blood/urine CMV-DNA alone. A total of 197 infants were treated with ganciclovir, and the cure rate was 88.3%. An abnormal history of pregnancy (OR=6.191, 95% CI: 1.597-24.002) and liver involvement before medication (OR=3.705, 95% CI: 1.537-8.931) were the independent risk factors affecting the therapeutic effect of ganciclovir in infants with perinatal CMV infection.

CONCLUSIONSThe epidemiological characteristics of perinatal CMV infection have remained generally stable for the last 5 years. CMV often involves several organs or systems, especially the liver and lung. Ganciclovir has a significant efficacy in the treatment of perinatal CMV infection, and an abnormal history of pregnancy and liver involvement before medication can increase the risk of ganciclovir resistance in infants with perinatal CMV infection.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cytomegalovirus ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; virology ; Female ; Ganciclovir ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; virology ; Liver ; virology ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo examine the prevalence and the sequence of the genes of new genotypes of hepatitis G virus (HGV) in Guangxi, China.

METHODSSerum samples were collected from 85 intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs), 80 patients with liver diseases (PLDs) and 50 blood donors (BDs). All sera (n=215) were tested by using EIA for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV, and by using nested PCR for HGV RNA. In 62 subjects positive for HGV, HGV RNA was sequenced, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed for analyzing genotypes of HGV.

RESULTSHGV RNA was detected in 85 of 215 serum samples (39.53%). The positivity rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV were 39.07%, 42.79% and 0, respectively. First, 11 nucleotide sequences were determined and the isolates were grouped into three clusters with HGV. 5 of 11 HGV isolates clustered in a distinct phylogenetic branch (genotype Asia) which was different from the described GBV-C and HGV sequences, suggesting the presence of a new genotype of HGV in this locality. Second, 51 nucleotide sequences were determined and analyzed for their genotypes of HGV, and showed genotype GBV-C (3.23%), genotype HGV 30-65% and new genotype (genotype Asia) 64.51%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThere were subgenotypes in 3 genotypes of HGV; The predominant genotypes of HGV were genotype Asia and genotype HGV among IVDAs, PLDs, and BDs patients in Guangxi, China.

Adult ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; GB virus C ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; virology ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; virology

Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen due to its close genomic similarity to human HEV. The prevalence of swine HEV in the hepatic lesion of pigs from the Jeju Island was investigated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In total, 40 pigs with hepatitis lesions were selected from 19 different farms, based on examination by microscopy. RTPCR findings revealed swine HEV in 22 cases (55%), including 18 suckling pigs and 4 growing pigs. Several histopathological lesions, including multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis, portal inflammation, and focal hepatocellular necrosis, were observed in liver sections of swine HEV PCR-positive pigs. The present study suggests that the prevalence of swine HEV is very high in the pig population in Jeju Island, and that pigs are infected at early stages of growth (under 2 months of age). The high prevalence of swine HEV in pigs in Jeju Island and the ability of this virus to infect across species puts people with swine-associated occupations at possible risk of zoonotic infection.
Animals ; DNA Primers ; Hepatitis E/epidemiology/pathology/*veterinary ; Hepatitis E virus/*genetics ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver/pathology ; Prevalence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/*virology ; Zoonoses/*epidemiology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Korea based on the 1998 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Study subjects consisted of 9,771 aged 10 yr or over, who were selected from across Korea using a stratified multistage probability sampling design. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was compared by age, sex, residency, household income, education, family history, family size, and frequency of eating out. The prevalence of HBsAg was 5.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.5-5.7) in males and 4.1% (95% CI: 3.6-4.6) in females with a low prevalence in those under 20 yr old. Generally, HBsAg seropositivity by administrative area was similar with the exception of Jeju province. HBsAg seropositivity of Jeju island was approximately three times higher in both men and women, as compared with the national average. HBsAg seropositivity by socioeconomic status unexpectedly showed a very consistent positive association in both gender. Comparing HBsAg seropositivity by the frequency of eating out, in both gender, the more frequent they ate out, the higher it was. Our study suggested that there might be another transmission route of HBV, which is possibly related to diet.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Hepatitis B/*epidemiology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B virus/metabolism ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver Diseases/epidemiology/virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutrition Surveys ; *Seroepidemiologic Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study assessed the antiviral efficacy and safety of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for up to 12 months in Korean treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. METHODS: A total of 411 treatment-naive CHB patients who had been treated with TDF for at least 3 months (median 5.6) were consecutively enrolled. Clinical, biochemical, virological parameters and treatment adherence were routinely assessed every 3 months. RESULTS: The median age was 51.3 years, 63.0% of the patients were male, 49.6% were HBeAg (+), and 210 patients had liver cirrhosis. The median baseline HBV DNA was 5.98 (SD 1.68) log10 IU/mL. Among the patients completing week 48, 83.3% had a complete virologic response (CVR, <12 IU/mL by HBV PCR assay), and 88.2% had normalized levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The cumulative probabilities of CVR at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months were 22.8%, 53.1%, 69.3% and 85.0%. During the follow-up period, 9.8% patients achieved HBeAg loss and 7.8% patients achieved HBeAg seroconversion. There was no virological breakthrough after initiating TDF. The most common TDF-related adverse event was gastrointestinal upset, and three patients discontinued TDF therapy. However, no serious life-threatening side effect was noted. CONCLUSIONS: In a clinical practice setting, TDF was safe and highly effective when administered for 12 months to Korean treatment-naive CHB patients.
Adenine/adverse effects/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Antiviral Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Cohort Studies ; DNA, Viral/blood ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/epidemiology/etiology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/*drug therapy/virology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organophosphonates/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult