Showing 3 results for Hepatitis A
Sanem Gecgel, Canan Demir,
Volume 8, Issue 3 (7-2020)
Abstract
| Introduction: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection poses a significant public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. This study investigated the effect of vaccination policies on the HAV seropositivity of Syrian immigrants and local Turkish people. Methods: The anti-HAV antibodies of 6007 patients, including 5613 (93.4%) Turks and 394 (6.6%) Syrian suspected of HAV infection, were analyzed by the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) method. Results: In our study, total anti-HAV positivity was higher in Turkish patients than in Syrian patients in the 0-9 age group, while in the 10-19, 20-29, and 30-39 age groups, the rate was higher in Syrians. Anti-HAV seropositivity was significantly higher in Turkish male patients than female patients. The young adult and adult age groups of Turks were more at risk of HAV infection, i.e., when the disease is symptomatic. Conclusion: Vaccination of young and young adult seronegative Turks and ensuring Syrian children's participation in the routine vaccination program implemented in our country is a requirement for preventing HAV infection. |
Hossein Heydari, Ahmad Majd, Mojtaba Hamidi-Fard, Golnaz Bahramali, Mohammad Reza Aghasadeghi,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (6-2021)
Abstract
Introduction: Early detection of acute Hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) allows adopting proper treatment measures, rapid recovery, and avoiding side effects. This study compares PCR assay with serology for diagnosing acute HAV infection. Methods: Twenty samples from patients presenting clinical symptoms of acute hepatitis were tested for anti-HAV IgM antibodies. Genomic RNA was extracted from IgM-positive samples, cDNA was synthesized and examined for genomic HAV using a specific HAV real-time detection kit and a nested PCR. Results: Among 20 sera, 14 were positive for anti-HAV IgM antibodies. The specific real-time PCR and nested PCR showed agreement, and both detected HAV genetic material in 3 out of 14 samples. Conclusion: High levels of anti-HAV IgM antibodies do not necessarily indicate acute HAV infection in people presenting clinical symptoms of the disease. Measuring IgM antibody levels alongside molecular detection of virus genome by DNA-based methods assay can lead to an accurate, timely, and reliable diagnosis of active HAV infection.
Mina Hannan, Leila Jabalameli, Mohammad Reza Aghasadeghi, Naser Harzandi, Seyed Mehdi Sadat,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (9-2023)
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a causative agent of acute hepatitis in humans, infecting more than one million individuals every year, including both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. The currently available preventive vaccines for HAV are based on either wild-type or live-attenuated virus strains, which can contribute to the costliness of the vaccination process. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to explore the potential of subunit vaccines that utilize immunogenic viral products. Methods: This study presents the results of a novel recombinant protein production study that employed the native structures of HAV-VP1 and HBs-Ag. The fusion protein underwent comprehensive characterization to evaluate its potential applications in diagnostics and immunization. The truncated recombinant protein, HAV-VP1 (position 99-259 aa) -HBs-Ag, was successfully expressed in the Escherichia coli BL21-DE3 system. Results: The recombinant protein, with a molecular weight of 46 kDa, was evaluated using SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis and confirmed by western blotting. The fusion protein was successfully detected in serum samples positive for HBV or HAV using anti-HBs and anti-VP1 antibodies. Additionally, it elicited a potent humoral response in BALB/c mice. Conclusion: The novel recombinant protein described in this study has the potential to serve as a bivalent vaccine against HAV and HBV infections. The next step involves evaluating the immunogenicity and safety profile of the protein.
