Masomeh Bayani; Sepideh Siadati; Mahmoud Hajiahmadi; Afshin Khani; Navid Naemi
Volume 9, Issue 3 , July 2014, , Pages 187-192
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Hepatitis B is one of the major health problems in the world. Health care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HBV infection and the immune response to HBV vaccine among the HCWs in Babol, ...
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Background & Objectives: Hepatitis B is one of the major health problems in the world. Health care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HBV infection and the immune response to HBV vaccine among the HCWs in Babol, northern Iran. Methods: This study was accomplished on 527 HCWs and administrative staff working at Rohani Hospital, Babol, northern Iran from 2011 to 2012. HBs- Ag, HBc- Ab and HBs- Ab were measured by ELISA method. All susceptible staff vaccinated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (Pasteur Institute of Iran) and HBs - Ab titer was evaluated 3 months after the last dose. Results: Anti-HBc was positive in 32 (6.1%) and HBs-Ag in 4 (0.75%) of the participants. The HBV exposure in HCWs was four times greater than the administrative staff (6.65% vs. 1.63%). There was significant association between HBV exposure and occupation and also educational level (P < 0.001), however, this association was not found with age and gender. Seroconversion was seen in 211 (91.7%) of 230 participants who received three-dose series of hepatitis B vaccine. The seroconversion is significantly decreasing by the increase of age (P < 0.001), however, no significant association was seen with age and gender. Conclusion: Considering high HBV infection exposure in HCWs, it is mandatory to ensure vaccination program and postvaccination evaluation along with education and safe work environment preparation.
Fatemeh Nili; Reza Shahsiah; Farid Azmoudeh Ardalan; Mohsen Nassiri Toosi; Alireza Abdollahi
Volume 9, Issue 1 , January 2014, , Pages 17-22
Abstract
Background and Objectives: HBV DNA monitoring is important in management of chronic viral hepatitis B infection. HBV DNA measurements are carried out over period of months to years. So the analytical system must be stable and reproducible. The aim of this study was to determine the performance ...
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Background and Objectives: HBV DNA monitoring is important in management of chronic viral hepatitis B infection. HBV DNA measurements are carried out over period of months to years. So the analytical system must be stable and reproducible. The aim of this study was to determine the performance characteristics and to plan a statistical quality control system of a laboratory-developed real-time quantitative PCR assay for HBV DNA quantification. Methods: Values of systematic and random error at two clinical decision points;4.2 Log IU/mL (20000 IU/mL) and 3.2 Log IU/mL (2000 IU/mL) were determined. Candidate quality control procedures were selected and performance of the method by application of normalized operational process specification (OPSpecs) charts was determined. Results: The performance of the assay at level of 4.2 Log IU/mL and 3.2 Log IU/mL were excellent and good respectively. Moreover, a13.5S rule with two measurements offered 90% probability of error detection at level of 4.2 Log IU/mL, while no rule offered 90% probability of error detection at level of 3.2 Log IU/mL. Conclusion: Minimizing the formation of primer-dimer and nonspecific products and concentrating the target DNA during the purification process are proposed for accurate quantitative PCR particularly when CT values are high.
Amitis Ramezani; Ali Eslamifar; Arezoo Aghakhani; Ebrahim Kalantar; Mohammad Banifazl; Akbar Velayati
Volume 4, Issue 2 , April 2009, , Pages 71-74
Abstract
Background and Objective: The outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may be influenced by host factors like Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). We have investigated HLA-A and DRB1 alleles in patients with persistent hepatitis B infection compared to subjects who had spontaneously recovered from ...
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Background and Objective: The outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may be influenced by host factors like Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). We have investigated HLA-A and DRB1 alleles in patients with persistent hepatitis B infection compared to subjects who had spontaneously recovered from HBV infection. To complete the findings of this study we performed another survey in certain HLA alleles that were significantly related to the outcome of HBV infection. The current study aimed to determine association between HBV infection outcome and HLA-A and DRB1 genotyping in North part of Iran. Patients and Methods: Ninety-four HBV infected patients were enrolled in this cross sectional study. First HLA-A and DRB1 alleles were analyzed by using low resolution PCR sequence-specific-primer (PCR-SSP) and then we used high resolution PCR-SSP method for subtyping HLA-A*33 and DRB1*13 alleles which were significantly related to the outcome of HBV infection. Results: HLA-A*33 allele was significantly higher in persistent group than recovered group and sub typing showed HLA-A*3303 in 75% and HLA-A*3301 in 25% of cases. HLA-DRB1*13 allele was significantly lower in persistent group than in recovered group and its subtypes were DRB1*1301 in 66.7% and DRB1*1303 in 33.3% of subjects. Conclusion: Host HLA polymorphism is an important factor to determining the outcome of HBV infection. HLA-A*3303 and DRB1*1301 were the predominant subtypes of HLA-A*33 and DRB1*13 alleles in Iranian HBV infected patients.
Nakysa Hooman; Seyed Taher Esfehani; Abas Madani; Esfandiar Bodagi; Parvin Mohseni
Volume 1, Issue 2 , April 2006, , Pages 69-74
Abstract
Background and Objectives: This research study was conducted to determine the correlation between the clinicopathologic features and the outcome of membranous nephropathy. Materials and Methods: Data were retrospectively reviewed from all patients with a diagnosis of membranous nephropathy. Demographic, ...
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Background and Objectives: This research study was conducted to determine the correlation between the clinicopathologic features and the outcome of membranous nephropathy. Materials and Methods: Data were retrospectively reviewed from all patients with a diagnosis of membranous nephropathy. Demographic, initial laboratory, and clinical findings were collected and the biopsy specimens were reviewed to classify them. To compare means, frequency, and to find correlation, student t-test, non-parametric x2 and Kendall-tau statistical tests were used respectively. A p value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: It was found out that during the years 1972-1996, 72 out of 2118 kidney biopsies had been diagnosed as membranous nephropathy. In this respect, male/female ratio was 2:1 (with a range of 1.5-14 years). Meanwhile, 45 out of 72 cases were idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Furthermore, 27 out of 72 had a secondary cause of the disease due to systemic lupus erythematosus (11 cases) and HBsAg positive (12 patients). The most common features in both groups were nephrotic syndrome and hematuria. In idiopathic and in chronic renal failure groups, remission occurred in 20.9% and 20.9 % of the cases respectively during an averaged 2.13 years of follow up. The statistical test Kendall-tau was used to determine the correlation between initial findings and outcome in IMN. In this regard, a significant direct correlation was found between progression to renal failure and proteinuria (p = 0.009) and/or age (p = 0.01) at the time of admission. For secondary membranous nephropathy, the outcomes were variable depending on the etiology.Conclusion: Proteinuria, age, and underlying etiology are the most important factors determining the renal outcome in membranous nephropathy.
