The evidence for the existence of Non-A, Non-B hepatitis in Dublin arose through routine testing. Further results were revealed in the hepatitis B outbreak in Dublin drug users in 1981. The final estimate given during these tests for Non-A, Non-B hepatitis is given at 26 percent, indicating an underlying Non-A, Non-B hepatitis among the drug using population of Dublin.
ABSTRACT This study describes seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B in seven centres caring for non‐residential mentally handicapped individuals. Overall, 11% were hepatitis B marker seropositive and 4% had the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Male sex and increasing age were associated with seropositive status, and Down's syndrome was associated with the presence of HBsAg. Immediate family members of those with hepatitis B markers were screened and 22% had evidence of heptatitis B markers. Forty‐one family members were identified when the mentally handicapped individual was HBsAg positive and of these 13 (32%) were seropositive. This study demonstrates that hepatitis B is a problem for the non‐residential mentally handicapped population and confirms the risk of infection to their immediate families.
The common viral infections of the liver are allmajor world health problems, but, at a global level, hepatitis B remains the most serious. Apart from ~e general array of acute hepatitis Binfections, ranging from asymptomatic to fulminant, there .~e be!Ween 250 and 300 million carriers of hepatitis B in the world', of whom a high proportion either h~ve o~ will develop chronic complications, incl~~ng clIThosis and hepatoma-. Furthermore, hepatitis. D (delta) may co-infect or superinfect those w~t~ hepatitis B, potentiating severe or~t~~patitis and/or rapidly progressive chronic hep?tItIs and cirrhosis3• The currently available vaccines now provide the means to reduce and perhaps eventually eliminate hepatitis B induced liver cancer, although the task is a daunting one because of the scale. of the problem, the cost of the vaccine and the high incidence of hepatitis B infection in the Third World countries1,2. Most hepatitis B infections. in s~ch countries occur by vertical transmission, Infection generally occurring at birth or occasionally fetally. However a significant number of cases ~nd the majority of cases in low incidence areas are infected by either parenteral inoculation or by heterosexual or homosexual intercourse. Between 10 and 60% of homosexuals have evidence of past or present hepatitis Binfection4-6. Sexual transmission probably accounts for many of those cases where no direct parenteral route can be identifiedv. This article is an update on hepatitis Band hepatitis D serology, much of it based on perso~al experience. It does not present every serological POssibility-other factors, race, transrrU:>sion patt~, mutations of the virus genome and Infection WIth other agents for example, may influence hepatitis B virus (HBV) serology. Indeed, because the ~igh risk groups for hepatitis. B a~d human ~unodeficiency virus (HIV) Infection are so SImilar and because it is now known that HIV infection can alter hepatitis B and hepatitis D serologyS, it is very important that the latter Consideration be especially taken into account.
A direct capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure elevated polymorphonuclear granulocyte (PMN) antigens using horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) conjugated rabbit polyclonal anti-PMN antisera and a monoclonal antibody specific for PMN cells. Optical densities obtained in the ELISA were used to predict the cell counts of milk samples. Predicted counts were not significantly different from actual somatic cell counts (SCC). In a total of 156 bovine milk samples the correlation coefficient between somatic cell counting, taking greater than 500,000 cells/ml as being indicative of mastitis, and the assay was 0.94, yielding an assay sensitivity of 95.2% and a specificity of 97.3%. In further trials the ELISA could detect elevated PMN antigens in milk with SCC as low as 100,000 cells/ml. The results indicate that the monoclonal antibody based direct ELISA has excellent potential in the detection and determination of bovine mastitis.
'/%3e%3cpath d='M200 752.362h200v300H200z' style='fill:%23fff;fill-opacity:1;stroke:none' transform='translate(0 -752.362)'/%3e%3cpath d='M400 752.362h200v300H400z' style='fill:%23ff883e;fill-opacity:1;stroke:none' transform='translate(0 -752.362)'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'%3e%3cg id='b'%3e%3cpath id='a' stroke='%23000' stroke-width='2' d='M-6-25H6m-12 3H6m-12 3H6'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' y='44'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' d='M0 17v10'/%3e%3ccircle r='12' fill='%23cd2e3a'/%3e%3cpath fill='%230047a0' d='M0-12A6 6 0 0 0 0 0a6 6 0 0 1 0 12 12 12 0 0 1 0-24z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg transform='rotate(-123.69)'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23b'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' d='M0-23.5v3M0 17v3.5m0 3v3'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'/%3e%3c/defs%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0h10080v5040H0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='.6' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23b)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='.4' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23c)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='840' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='504' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cg fill='%23fff'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' x='2520' y='3780'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='4200'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='6300' y='2205'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='840'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='8680' y='1869'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23e' x='8064' y='2730'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
