Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019158 (hepatitis)
 30,205 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Interferons are currently the most widely used biological response modifiers. They are of high clinical value in haematological malignancies (chronic myelogenous leukaemia, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma), in solid tumours (malignant melanoma, hypernephroma, pancreas neoplasms, carcinoid tumours, Kaposi's sarcoma, glioma, in ovarium, cervix and bladder carcinoma, and in basalioma) and in infectious diseases (chronic hepatitis B, chronic non-A/non-B hepatitis, chronic delta hepatitis, AIDS, Papova virus and Rhinovirus infections, leishmaniasis, leprosy) and some other conditions. Although the mechanism of action of interferons has not been explained in every detail these agents are promising therapeutic means in a number of diseases.
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PMID:Role of interferon in clinical practice. 172 32

Hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) is the only protein encoded by hepatitis delta virus (HDV). HDAg has been demonstrated in the nuclei of HDV-infected hepatocytes, and its nuclear transport may be important for the replication of HDV RNA. In this report, we investigated the mechanism of nuclear transport of HDAg. By expressing fusion proteins consisting of the different portions of HDAg and alpha-globin, we have identified a nuclear localization signal (NLS) within the N-terminal one-third of HDAg. It consists of two stretches of basic amino acid domains separated by a short run of nonbasic amino acids. Both of the basic domains are necessary for the efficient nuclear transport of HDAg. The nonbasic spacer amino acids could be removed without affecting the nuclear targeting of HDAg significantly. Thus, the HDAg NLS belongs to a newly identified class of NLS which consists of two discontiguous stretches of basic amino acids. This NLS is separated from a stretch of steroid receptor NLS-like sequence, which is also present but not functioning as an NLS, in HDAg. Furthermore, we have shown that subfragments of HDAg which do not contain the NLS can be passively transported into the nucleus by a trans-acting full-length HDAg, provided that these subfragments contain the region with a leucine zipper sequence. Thus, our results indicate that HDAg forms aggregates in the cytoplasm and that the HDAg oligomerization is probably mediated by the leucine zipper sequence. Therefore, HDAg is likely transported into the nucleus as a protein complex.
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PMID:Characterization of nuclear targeting signal of hepatitis delta antigen: nuclear transport as a protein complex. 173 Nov 13

Five major types of viral hepatitis have been identified. Hepatitis A is an acute, usually self-limited illness. Prophylaxis with immune globulin (Gamastan, Gammar) is effective in household and sexual contacts of infected patients. Hepatitis B has both acute and chronic forms. Treatment trials for chronic hepatitis B with interferon alfa-2b have shown promise. Hepatitis C is the name now given to non-A non-B hepatitis. Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A) has been approved for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis D occurs only in patients with hepatitis B. The only treatment for hepatitis D is prevention of hepatitis B. Hepatitis E is seen after natural disasters in developing regions of the world. Further advances in serologic testing and treatment of viral hepatitis can be expected.
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PMID:Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Update on testing and treatment. 174 56

Liver transplantation remains a problem for end stage liver disease due to chronic viral hepatitis, in contrast to the success with fulminant hepatitis B, D and C in which recurrence of viraemia is relatively rare. Following transplantation for chronic HCV disease recurrence of hepatitis C is infrequent and does not appear to be an important clinical problem. The complete picture will only be described when a suitable HCV-RNA test becomes routinely available. Patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, with low levels of viraemia, or patients with hepatitis D are less likely to develop reinfection than those with high levels of HBV viraemia. The use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin in high doses for prolonged periods delays rather than prevents recurrence. It is a very expensive ancillary treatment. Patients with chronic hepatitis D related cirrhosis in whom levels of hepatitis B replication are suppressed, have a low recurrence rate even without immunoglobulin prophylaxis although HDAg remains in the liver. Hepatitis only reoccurs with recurrence of HBV infection. Unfortunately transplantation of HBV DNA and HBeAg positive patients has many shortcomings, and reinfection of the engrafted liver and subsequent development of hepatitis B is common. Survival rates are reduced in this latter group. At present there are no firm recommendations that can be given to prevent recurrence: HBIG in large doses and for prolonged periods would appear to be insufficient to prevent reinfection and these patients often die of recurrent disease. A major challenge for transplant groups will be the prevention of viral reinfection particularly in this latter group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Liver transplantation for chronic viral hepatitis. 174 98

From 1973 to 1989 five patients with hepatitis delta virus having anti-hepatitis delta antibodies continuously in the serum for more than 5 years were identified among 1019 hepatitis B virus carriers who were being followed-up for more than 3 years (mean 8.9 years). Of the five patients with antibodies, three had a history of blood transfusion, in two cases the transfusion was massive, and one patient had been addicted to narcotics given intravenously 35 years before. In the remaining patient, the route of superinfection could not be determined. Hepatitis delta antigen was detected in hepatocyte nuclei of one of the three patients in whom liver biopsies were performed and there was chronic persistent hepatitis detected by an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. During the follow-up, hepatocellular carcinoma developed in one case but the clinical prognosis was favourable in the remaining four cases.
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PMID:A long-term follow-up of five patients with hepatitis delta virus in Japan. 177 9

Fifty-five consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease entering haemodialysis programmes over a two-month period and 48 consecutive recipients of renal allografts during a period of 6 months were investigated for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (delta) infection. HBV markers were present in 25 of the former and 40 of the latter. Of the 65 patients with HBV infection, 12 were not available for delta antibody screening. HBV infection was present for a mean of 2.5 months and 45.3% of those infected had clinical hepatitis; none had fulminant hepatitis. All the patients tested were negative for antidelta antibody. An additional patient on dialysis with delta superinfection and hepatic encephalopathy is also reported.
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PMID:Low prevalence of hepatitis D (delta) virus infection in a nephrology unit in south India. 178 Oct 1

The incidence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection in Northern Ireland (1970-1989) was tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 401 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive sera. Hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) was tested in 388 patients and antibody to delta antigen (anti-HD) in 401 patients. Four patients (1.03%) were HDAg positive. Nine patients (2.24%) were positive for anti-HD and after acid pre-treatment of sera from eight of these patients, five were positive for HDAg. The overall incidence of HDV markers was 3.27%, which reflects the low incidence in HBsAg carriers in Northern Ireland (who were in high risk groups for delta hepatitis). The use of acid treatment of the sera to break up antigen/antibody complexes has been a useful technological improvement in the identification of this virus.
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PMID:Hepatitis delta virus infection in Northern Ireland 1970-1989. 178 49

To determine whether host dependent differences modulated hepatitis delta virus replication in chronic delta hepatitis, we tested HDV RNA in homosexual and intravenous drug abuser populations. Overall, the seroprevalence of HDV RNA in the two groups with matching clinical characteristics was 72% (76/106 patient visits). A trend for greater prevalence of HDV RNA was noted at initial presentation in homosexuals (82%) compared to intravenous drug abusers (60%, P less than 0.05) and this trend appeared to be maintained during two years of sequential follow-up. The seroprevalence of co-appearing IgM and IgG anti-HD antibodies was similar in the two groups of patients. However, in HDV RNA positive homosexuals IgG anti-HD antibody was more prevalent, and additionally, assumed concordance with HDV RNA of 92% although the significance of this observation is unclear. The difference in prevalence of HIV in the two groups did not reach statistical significance. Prospective studies are required to confirm differences in HDV replication in various patient groups and to define underlying mechanisms.
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PMID:Host dependent modulation of hepatitis delta virus replication in chronic delta hepatitis. 180 56

To evaluate serologic diagnosis of hepatitis delta virus, we tested HDV RNA in stored sera from 48 patients with acute delta hepatitis who were identified with anti-HD antibodies. Initial sera were positive for HDV RNA in 27 of 48 (56%) patients. In comparison, isolated IgM anti-HD was present in 18 (38%) patients, although IgM and IgG anti-HD were present concurrently in 16 (33%) additional patients. Overall, either HDV RNA or IgM anti-HD was present in 69% of the initial sera. The HDV infection was self-limiting in all except two patients who died of fulminant hepatitis and nine others in whom chronic delta hepatitis ensued. Patterns of HDV seropositivity during progression to chronicity induced variable persistence, disappearance or recrudescence of either HDV RNA or IgM and IgG anti-HD. Results of HDV RNA and IgM anti-HD tests were concordant in only 40-50% of instances. Our results indicate that serological testing for HDV RNA is direct and will demonstrate HDV replication in a large number of cases with acute delta hepatitis. Testing for IgM anti-HD could provide supplemental evidence for HDV infection. Sequential testing for these markers will facilitate assessment of the outcome of acute HDV infection.
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PMID:Acute delta hepatitis: serological diagnosis with particular reference to hepatitis delta virus RNA. 188 1

Reports now document hepatitis D infection in diverse clinical settings in the United States, indicating that the infection is becoming more common. The demonstration of the first case of Delta hepatitis in South Carolina emphasizes the need for a high index of suspicion for infection by this virus in the evaluation of patients with hepatitis.
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PMID:Delta hepatitis: first case identified in South Carolina. 189 Aug 17


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