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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the Japreira indigenous community, Venezuela, and its relationship to age and gender. An intentional, non-probabilistic sample of 149 individuals was selected from a total of 300. All samples were studied for the presence of total HBV antibodies (total anti-HBc), and the positive samples were tested for HBV surface and "e" antigens (HBsAg, HBeAg). Overall prevalence rates of total anti-HBc were 72.9% in females and 81.1% in males. The highest prevalence of HBsAg was observed in males 26-35 years of age. Only four of the 44 HBsAg carriers were positive for HBeAg. The results showed a high endemic HBV infection rate and indicated that its spread begins at early ages. Sexual transmission may be the main route for spread of the virus. Crowding, close contact with bodily fluids, specific social practices, and features of the circulating viral strain among members of this community could be involved in the high chronicity observed in the Japreira indigenous community.
Cadernos de Saúde Pública 06/2008; 24(5):1183-6. · 0.89 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Clinical features of Dengue are very variable due to multiple alterations induced by the virus in the organism. Increased levels of transaminases similar to those produced by the Hepatitis virus have been reported in patients with Dengue from hiperendemic zones in Asia. The objectives of this study were to determine alterations in the liver tests in patients with Dengue and to relate them to the disease, clinically and serologically. Clinical history, hemathological tests serum transaminases (ALT y AST) and bilirubin assays were performed in 62 patients with clinical and serological diagnosis of Dengue. According to clinical features 38.7% of the patients with classical (CD) and hemorrhagic (DHF) forms of Dengue reffered abdominal pain and 2 patients with DHF had ictericia and hepatomegaly. Laboratory test findings showed leucopenia in 72.5% in both forms of Dengue and of patients with DHF severe thrombocytopenia (< 50.000 platelets x mm3), long PT and PPT in 70.9%, 23.0% and 42.3%, respectively. Transaminase values five fold higher than the normal values (p < 0.005) were observed in 36.8% and 74.4% of patients with CD and DHF respectively; AST was predominant in both groups. Our results suggest liver damage during the course of Dengue. A differential diagnosis has to be done between the hepatic involvement of Dengue cases and others viral diseases with hepatic disfunctions.
Investigación clínica 06/2005; 46(2):169-78.
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ABSTRACT: The immunoregulatory roles of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-10, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), the soluble form of the IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R), and the soluble form of CD30 (sCD30) were evaluated in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Two groups of subjects were studied: 15 healthy individuals without hepatitis antecedents and 15 patients with HBV infection. Blood samples were taken during the acute and convalescent phases. The analysis of the samples was done by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha levels decreased in the convalescent phase. IL-10, IL-2, and sIL-2R levels increased in the acute and convalescent phases, while sCD30 levels increased during the acute phase. The IL-4 concentrations decreased in both phases. During the acute phase, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha induced increases in IL-2, sIL-2R, IL-10, and sCD30 levels in serum, which allowed the development of immunity characterized by the nonreactivity of the HBV surface antigen, the onset of antibodies to the HBV surface antigen (anti-HBs), and normal alanine aminotransferase levels during the convalescent phase. Increased IL-2 levels during the acute phase would stimulate the activities of NK cells and CD8(+) lymphocytes, which are responsible for viral clearing. The raised sIL-2R levels reveal activation of T lymphocytes and control of the IL-2-dependent immune response. The sCD30 increment during the acute phase reflects the greater activation of the Th2 cellular phenotype. Its decrease in the convalescent phase points out the decrease in the level of HBV replication. The increase in IL-10 levels could result in a decrease in IL-4 levels and modulate IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha levels during both phases of disease, allowing the maintenance of anti-HBs concentrations.
Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology 12/2002; 9(6):1372-5. · 2.51 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to assess interleukin-2 receptor serum levels in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia. Sera from 90 healthy pregnant women (30 for each trimester), 30 with pre-eclampsia and a group of 30 healthy non-pregnant were analyzed. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor was measured by specific double antibody enzymatic immunoassay (ELISA). Results were: 267.5 +/- 12.3 (mean +/- s.e.m) pg/mL in the uncomplicated first trimester sample, 300.9 +/- 14.5 pg/mL in the second trimester and 248.8 +/- 12.5 pg/mL in the third. The non-pregnant control group had 443.7 +/- 39.6 pg/mL, significantly different from normal pregnancy in all trimesters (p < 0.001). The concentration in pre-eclamptic patients was 382.2 +/- 24.2 pg/mL, with p < 0.01 with regard to the normal third trimester group. The conclusion is that interleukin-2 receptor serum levels diminish in normal pregnancy and rise in preeclampsia. The first finding seems to be a protective mechanism to the fetal allograft. The latter, point to increased cellular activity.
Investigación clínica 06/2002; 43(2):73-8.
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Linda Blitz,
Flor H Pujol,
Paul D Swenson,
Leticia Porto, Ricardo Atencio,
Mary Araujo,
Luciana Costa,
Diana Callejas Monsalve,
Jaime R Torres,
Howard A Fields,
Steve Lambert,
Caroline Van Geyt,
Helene Norder,
Lars O Magnius,
José M Echevarr,
Lieven Stuyver
Journal of Clinical Microbiology 01/1998; 36:648-651. · 4.15 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Cancer patients can be asymptomatic carriers of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can be reactivated by chemotherapy. Our aim was to identify the serological markers of HBV in children with cancer who were asymptomatic carriers of the virus. Fifty two (52) children with cancer treated at the Maracaibo University Hospital in Venezuela were studied, 28 of these children (53.8%) were HBV positive, despite no clinical or biochemical signs or symptoms of hepatitis. The type of serological markers present in each of these children.were investigated. We found 7 cases (25%) with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 2 (7.1%) with anticore as the only markers. Multiple markers were found in the other children: 9 (32.1%) HBsAg and anticore; 7 (25%) HBsAg, e-antigen (HBeAg) and anticore; 3 (10.7%) HBsAg, HBeAg antibody and anticore. In total, of the 28 positive children 20 (71.4%) showed positive anticore and of these 4 (20%) were of the IgM type. Our results show a high level of positivity for HBV in the children with cancer studied. In spite of being asymptomatic carriers of the HBV, it is noticeable the presence of serological markers for acute disease. We recommend testing for HBV serological markers before starting chemotherapy. Should the test results be negative, vaccination is indicated and should they be positive, specialized care is indicated.
Revista de gastroenterologia del Peru: organo oficial de la Sociedad de Gastroenterologia del Peru 26(3):259-64.
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ABSTRACT: This study evaluates the levels of CD4 and CD8 in HIV positive children Zulia state as parameter of efficiency of antirretroviral treatments. 50 children Innocens Foundation ages 1-12 living with or affected by HIV were studied. The subpopulation CD4 and CD8 linphocytes decided by means of flow citometry and the antirreotroviral treatments given by triplicate. The analysis information realized means of the program SPSS Windows, version11,0; 2.001, being significant everything p<0,05. None child managed to be inmunosuppressed, they met levels of CD4, CD8 y CD4/CD8 high, being demonstrated so they were answering to the therapy antirretroviral. The statistical analyses demonstrated that were no significant differences (p> 0,05) between the levels of CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8, and Tukey's test revealed that only treatments had significant differences (p <0,05) were: AZT+3TC+Nelfinavir with 3TC+Nelfinavir+Abacavir and d4T+Lopinavir/Ritonavir+Abacavir. The linfocitos CD4 and CD8 demonstrated to be an index to guide the decisions on the individual treatment and to evaluate if the therapy anti VIH is effective or not.
VITAE Academia Biomédica Digital (ISSN: 1317-987x) Num 26.
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Linda Blitz,
Flor H Pujol,
Paul D. Swenson,
Leticia Porto, Ricardo Atencio,
Mary Araujo,
Luciana Costa,
Diana Callejas Monsalve,
Jaime R Torres,
Howard A. Fields,
Steve Lambert,
Caroline Van Geyt,
Helene Norder,
Lars O Magnius,
José M Echevarría,
Lieven Stuyver
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ABSTRACT: The adw4 subtype of hepatitis B virus (HBV) belongs to a unique genomic group (genotype F) representing the original HBV strains from the New World. Data regarding the prevalence of this subtype among HBV carriers in South America are, however, scarce, and those concerning HBV genotype F are based on only a few samples from Latin America. In this study, serum samples were obtained from 141 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers from Amerindians and urban populations from Venezuela. The HBsAg subtype was identified with monoclonal antibodies in 105 samples, and the HBV genotype was identified by reverse-phase hybridization with DNA fragments in 58 samples. The adw4 subtype was highly prevalent in the population studied (75%); among the Amerindians, the prevalence was 97%. The adw2 subtype was also present (10%), while other subtypes (ayw3 and ayw4) were only occasionally found. The HBV subtype was associated with the expected genotype in most cases (80%), and thus genotype F was highly prevalent. Sequencing of viral strains that gave genotypes unpredicted by the HBsAg subtyping confirmed seven of them as belonging to not previously described genotype-subtype associations: namely, adw2 and ayw4 within genotype F.
