Virus Serology (virus + serology)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Coxsackie B virus serology and Type 1 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review of published case-control studies

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 6 2004
J. Green
Abstract Background Enteroviruses, in particular Coxsackie B4, have been implicated in the aetiology of Type 1 diabetes mellitus, but the epidemiological evidence has not been systematically evaluated. Methods Systematic review of evidence from published controlled studies of the relationship between Coxsackie B virus serology and incident or prevalent Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Studies were identified through a Medline search (1966 to 2002), supplemented by references from identified papers and hand search of relevant journals. All studies (full papers, abstracts or letters) with data adequate for calculation of unadjusted odds ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) for Type 1 diabetes mellitus in relation to Coxsackie B virus serology were included. Results The review included 26 case-control studies; no cohort study met the inclusion criteria. Odds ratios for Type 1 diabetes mellitus in serology-positive vs. serology-negative subjects ranged from 0.2 to 22.3. For Coxsackie B (any serotype) 7/13 studies had point estimates significantly greater than 1.0 (P < 0.05). For Coxsackie B3, Coxsackie B4 and Coxsackie B5-specific assays, 1/11, 6/17 and 1/11 studies, respectively, had point estimates significantly greater than 1.0. Summary odds ratios were not calculated because of doubts about the validity of individual study estimates, heterogeneity between studies, and the possibility of publication bias. Conclusions The results of these studies are inconsistent and do not provide convincing evidence for or against an association between Coxsackie B virus infection and Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Better designed studies using effective assays are needed to resolve this important issue. [source]


Risk factors of fibrosis in alcohol-induced liver disease

HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2002
Bruno Raynard
In patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), age, obesity, and diabetes mellitus are independent predictors of the degree of fibrosis. The relative risk for fibrosis adjusted for sex was also associated with increasing grade of Perls stain. The aim of this study was to determine whether the risk factors for fibrosis described in NASH are also risk factors in alcohol-induced liver disease. A total of 268 alcoholic patients with negative hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus serology underwent liver biopsy. Fibrosis was assessed semiquantitatively by a score fluctuating between 0 to 8. Liver iron overload was assessed by Perls staining and graded in 4 classes. We have used multivariate regression with partial correlation analysis to assess the variability of fibrosis score according to the value of 7 variables: sex, age, body mass index (BMI) in the past year before the hospitalization when the patient was asymptomatic, daily alcohol intake over the past 5 years, total duration of alcohol abuse, Perls grade, and blood glucose level. In the multivariate regression, fibrosis score was positively correlated with age (P = .001), BMI (P = .002), female sex (P < .05), Perls grade (P < .05), and blood glucose level (P < .05). Twenty percent of the variability of fibrosis score was explained by the 7 variables. In conclusion, after adjustment for daily alcohol intake and total duration of alcohol abuse, BMI, Perls grade, and blood glucose are also independent risk factors for fibrosis in alcohol-induced liver disease, raising therapeutic implications for the management of these patients. [source]


Changes in hepatitis B virus serology in bone marrow transplanted children

PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2002
Serhan Küpeli
Abstract: Suppression of the immune system and reconstitution of the donor's immune system may affect the course of a chronic viral infection in the recipients. The aim of this study is to evaluate changes in hepatitis B virus (HBV) serology after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). HBV serology and hepatic function tests were examined in 45 children before and after BMT. Before BMT, 40 patients were HBsAg negative and 5 positive. There were no HBsAg positive donors. HBsAg disappeared in two patients and anti-HBs became positive in one. Donors of these patients were anti-HBs positive. In a third patient, acute HBV infection developed and lasted without complication. This patient also seroconverted to anti-HBs. Anti-HBs disappeared in 7 of 21 anti-HBs positive patients. Among 18 patients who were HBsAg and anti-HBs negative, 11 seroconverted to anti-HBs positivity. Our findings support the notion that having an anti-HBs positive donor is important for adoptive immunity transfer and for preventing HBV replication. [source]