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N Tassopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to N Tassopoulos.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Diagnostic value of anti-HBc IgM in high HBV prevalence areas.

The diagnostic value of an anti-mu-capture immunoassay for the detection of IgM antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) was evaluated. Strongly positive results were obtained from the acute phase sera of the 25 acute hepatitis B patients who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive and of the 18 confirmed acute hepatitis B patients who had already cleared HBsAg when symptoms developed. Negative results were obtained in 5 hepatitis A patients, 20 non-A, non-B acute hepatitis patients serologically susceptible to HBV, 22 patients with chronic hepatitis B liver disease, 15 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, and 10 healthy patients immune from past HBV infection. Fourteen of the acute hepatitis patients remained HBsAg positive for a follow-up period of at least 6 months, and 12 of these were found consistently anti-HBc IgM negative. These were considered as chronic HBsAg carriers with a superimposed form of acute liver injury. These data show that this assay can differentiate between acute from chronic (HBsAg positive) and recent from old (HBsAg negative) hepatitis B virus infection. Thus, it should be very useful in the complex diagnostic situations encountered commonly in areas with high prevalence of HBV infections.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1983

Post-exposure hepatitis B vaccination of sexual partners of acute viral hepatitis patients.

Sexual transmission of HBV was studied in a sample of 350 sporadic acute viral hepatitis type B adult patients hospitalised in the Infectious Diseases Hospital of Athens, Greece. Spouses with acute viral hepatitis type B (six in number) or asymptomatic HBsAg carriership (80 in number) were considered as the most likely sources of infection in 86 (24.6 per cent) of the 350 patients. Only 164 (46.8 per cent) spouses were susceptible to HBV and 149 agreed to participate in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial of hepatitis B vaccine. The Merck Sharp and Dohme vaccine (20 micrograms per dose) or placebo were administered as soon as possible and repeated one and six months later. Vaccinees were interviewed, clinically examined and bled one, three, six and nine months after the first injection. HBV events (clinical hepatitis type B in seven or serological evidence of HBV infection in 15) were diagnosed in 22 vaccinees. We anticipate completing the required sample to establish the possible protective efficacy of the hepatitis B vaccine by the end of November 1982. Final results of the trial will be available early next year.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Source of infection due to hepatitis B virus in Greece.

The possible source of infection due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) was investigated in 260 hospitalized adult patients with acute infections. Blood transfusions (30 patients, 11.5%), illicit drug use (16 patients, 6.2%), homosexuality (five patients, 1.9%), and possible iatrogenic transmission (77 patients, 29.6%) accounted for less than 50% of the cases of hepatitis. Thirty (29.4%) of 102 sexual partners were the most probable source of infection of the patients; three (2.9%) had a history of acute HBV infection two to six months before their partners were admitted to the hospital, and the remaining 27 (26.5%) were characterized as asymptomatic, chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The HBsAg carrier rate was higher in men (47.5%) than women (12.9%) and in unmarried (31.6%) than married (25.3%) sexual partners. Hepatitis B e antigen and abnormal serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels were detected more frequently in sexual partners who were HBsAg carriers (29.6% and 48.1%, respectively) than in comparable control partners (2.6% and 5.4%, respectively).

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Etiology of fulminant viral hepatitis in Greece.

The etiology of fulminant viral hepatitis was determined in 65 consecutive cases among 1,814 (3.58%) adults with acute viral hepatitis who were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital of Athens from May, 1981 to August, 1983. Radioimmunoassays were used to detect hepatitis B virus, hepatitis A virus and delta-agent markers. Enzyme immunoassay was used to detect anti-HBc IgM. Hepatitis B virus was responsible for 48 (73.9%), non-A, non-B for 16 (24.6%) and hepatitis A virus for one case (1.5%). The use of anti-HBc IgM identified 10 cases of fulminant type B hepatitis among HBsAg negative, anti-HBc and anti-HBs positive patients. Fulminant non-A, non-B hepatitis was superimposed on 10 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers; delta-agent co-infection was diagnosed in two fulminant type B hepatitis cases. These data show that hepatitis B virus is the major cause of fulminant hepatitis in Greece. HBsAg carriers are at high risk for fulminant non-A, non-B hepatitis. delta-agent does not seem to be as important as in Italy and other countries.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

How often does chronic liver disease follow acute hepatitis B in adults?

The risk of developing the chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier state after primary acute hepatitis B virus infection was examined in a prospective study of adults with acute icteric (clinically apparent) viral hepatitis. Enzyme immunoassay for IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc) was positive in 176 (93.1%) and negative in 13 (6.9%) of 189 patients positive for HBsAg and negative for IgM antibody to hepatitis A virus. The former were considered to be acute hepatitis B infections and the latter chronic carriers superinfected with another virus or acute exacerbation of chronic infection. At six months, all surviving acute hepatitis B patients had cleared HBsAg. All surviving chronic carriers remained HBsAg-positive. In another prospective study, 18 adults with subclinical hepatitis B infection also cleared HBsAg within six months. These data suggest that in contrast to newborns and children, adult patients rarely develop chronic antigenemia after acute hepatitis B infection. The postulated risk should mainly be attributed to misdiagnosis of cases of superinfection of chronic carriers or acute exacerbation of chronic infection.

Acute Disease↗