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Biomedical subjects

E H Boxall

Publications and source records attributed to E H Boxall.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Non-A, non-B hepatitis in patients receiving blood products.

A group of patients all regularly receiving blood products for a congenital bleeding disorder were investigated for evidence of past infection with hepatitis A and B, and compared with a control group. There was a significantly higher percentage of the test group who had markers of infection with these viruses, and 15 patients had symptoms of hepatitis during the study. The greater number of the test group showing evidence of past hepatitis A infection can only really be explained by acquiring antibody from blood products, especially since none of our patients with hepatitis had hepatitis A and there is evidence that this is not an infection associated with blood products. We conclude that the majority of patients in our study showing symptoms of hepatitis had non-A, non-B hepatitis.

Adolescent↗

A radioimmunoassay for hepatitis A antigen and antibody.

The HAVAB radioimmunoassay for the detection of antibody to hepatitis A is assessed. Its modification to detect virus in faecal samples is described and in this it was found to be more sensitive and specific than electron microscopy.

Animals↗

Transmission of HBsAg from mother to infant in four ethnic groups.

Antenatal screening in the West Midlands during a three-year period identified 297 mothers who were chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)--a prevalence of about 1 in 850. About half of their infants had HBsAg in the cord blood, but of 122 infants followed up for over three months (mean 8.5 months) only 17 (14%) were still positive for HBsAg. Cord-blood HBsAg-positivity was evenly distributed among different ethnic groups, but the transmission rate was highest among the Chinese, and no carriers were discovered among 39 European infants. Raised serum transaminase concentrations were found in some of the carrier infants who were otherwise healthy. The results suggest that adequate follow-up of HBsAg-positive infants may be achieved by tests at 4 months and 1 year of age, and that the role of breast-feeding in mother-to-infant transmission of HBsAg is unimportant. The Chinese community may be a suitable population in which to test the effectiveness of specific immunoglobulin administration at birth in preventing the development of the HBsAg carrier state.

Africa↗

Small virus particles in faeces of patients with infectious hepatitis (hepatitis A).

Forty-one faecal samples from infectious-hepatitis patients and their contacts were investigated for the presence of hepatitis-A-associated viral particles. Of these, 16 gave a positive result by immune electronmicroscopy or caesium-chloride density-gradient centrifugation. The latter method proved invaluable in detecting small numbers of virus particles. The particles found had buoyant density of 1-34-1-35 and a size range of 21-28 nm. Epidemiological evidence suggested that they might be the causative agent of hepatitis A.

Antigens, Viral↗

Vertical transmission of hepatitis-B surface antigen.

Transmission of Hepatitis B virus from mother to infant can cause a severe type of neonatal hepatitis. Comparing chronic carrier mothers with mothers who have acute hepatitis in pregnancy we find that the latter group present the greater risk to their infants. Differences in the presence of Hepatitis B core and Hepatitis B e antigen and antibody in the acute case and in the carrier state may expoain the differences observed in the transmission rates of two groups. In countries where the prevalence of the carrier state is high it appears that vertical transmission of the carrier state is also common. This pattern may be explained by differences in the geographical distribution of carriers of Hep B e antigen, which has been recently described as a virulance factor.

Acute Disease↗

Hepatitis-B surface antigen and cirrhosis in Iraq.

Hepatitis-B surface antigen was found in 58% of 64 patients with cirrhosis in Iraq using counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), radioimmunoassay (RIA), and three commercial haemagglutination tests--Auscell (Abbott Laboratories), Hepatest (Wellcome Reagents Ltd.), and Hepanosticon (Organon Teknika). CIE detected about half as many positives as the other methods; RIA was the most sensitive. The number of positive reactions was much higher than in any previously reported series of patients with cirrhosis and seven times higher than in a normal hospital control population.

Adolescent↗