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Biomedical subjects

K Gmelin

Publications and source records attributed to K Gmelin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Pre-S1 proteins in sera of patients positive for HBsAg and antibodies to hepatitis delta virus.

Infection with the hepatitis Delta virus results in a reduction in hepatitis B virus replication. To study the question as to whether expression of large surface (pre-S1) protein is changed in patients with previous and chronic hepatitis Delta virus infection, sera of 25 HBsAg- and anti-HD-positive patients were analyzed by the Western blot technique using an antibody directed against a pre-S1 fusion protein. Pre-S1 proteins were present only in 3 of the 25 sera. This finding suggests that the expression of pre-S1 proteins and HBsAg is regulated independently, and that pre-S1 proteins are not necessarily required for the envelope of hepatitis Delta virus.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1986

Epidemiological studies on the prevalence of hepatitis Delta virus infections in the Federal Republic of Germany.

This study evaluated the prevalence of hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) infections in various groups of HBsAg carriers including drug addicts and patients with hemophilia in the Federal Republic of Germany. HDV was found only occasionally (less than 1%) in individuals found HBsAg positive during an examination as potential blood donors or in hemodialysis patients, but in 3% in patients with chronic hepatitis and up to 50% in drug addicts and hemophilia patients. These findings are in agreement with data reported from other European countries. Presence of antibodies to HDV in two hemodialysis patients indicates the presence of HDV in this group and screening for HDV infections in hemodialysis units is indicated to prevent outbreaks of this disease in HBsAg-positive patients with possibly serious consequences.

Blood Donors↗
PubMed1985

[Frequency of delta infections in Heidelberg].

The frequency of delta infection was studied in sera of 203 patients with acute hepatitis B, further 461 hepatitis B virus surface antigen-(HBsAg)-positive patients and 117 HBsAg-negative controls by determination of anti-delta by a competitive enzyme immunoassay. Sera have been collected since 1974. None of the sera of acute hepatitis B was anti-delta-positive whereas seven of the HBsAg-positive carriers were anti-delta-positive. Two of the anti-delta-positive patients had chronic hepatitis, four had liver cirrhosis. One of the anti-delta-positive patients with liver cirrhosis died of liver failure. Risk factors included Italian origin and parenteral routes of infection. All sera of 19 relatives of three anti-delta-positive index cases remained anti-delta-negative.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1985

[Integrated and nonintegrated hepatitis B virus DNA in liver tissue].

Liver tissue was taken in eight patients with virus hepatitis B and one patient with liver carcinoma by biopsy, as well as in seven other patients at post mortem. HBV-DNA was measured in these tissue specimens by hybridization. In four out of eight patients who had had biopsy, HBV-DNA could be found; in two patients it was present in integrated form. The same was true for the tumor tissue stemming from the patient with liver carcinoma. In five out of eight liver tissue specimens taken at post mortem HBV-DNA could be demonstrated as well; it was integrated into the host genom in two cases. It may be important to find out in patients with chronic hepatitis virus infection, if HBV-DNA is present in free or integrated form before antiviral treatment is considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Determination of HBV DNA by a simplified method of spot hybridization.

Molecular hybridization was employed to detect HBV DNA in sera of patients with acute or chronic hepatitis, by a simplified version of the spot hybridization technique. HBV DNA was found in 21 out of 50 sera obtained in acute hepatitis B. Determination of HBV DNA was negative in sera of patients with hepatitis A, Epstein-Bar virus infections or other HBsAg-negative liver diseases. There was no cross-hybridization between HBV DNA and sera of patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Determination of HBV DNA in serum in a case of needlestick hepatitis.

HBV DNA in serum was determined by modified spot hybridization. A nurse of the dialysis staff was inoculated via needlestick with blood of a HBsAg-positive hemodialysis patient, who had 2000 pg HBV DNA per milliliter serum. After insufficient passive immunization the nurse developed transient anicteric hepatitis B. HBV DNA was positive in sera of the recipient before and at the beginning of the elevation of transaminases.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Anti-HBc IgM in acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infection].

Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) synthesized in E. coli was used for determination of immunoglobulin M class-specific antibodies against HBcAg. It was found that 98% of cases with acute hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive hepatitis type B were anti-HBc immunoglobulin M (IgM) positive. Atypical hepatitis B was detected in 33% of anti-HBc-positive HBsAg-negative cases with acute hepatitis. Anti-HBc IgM was positive for 6 months in acute resolving hepatitis type B, whereas cases resulting in chronic hepatitis B remained anti-HBc IgM-positive for up to 900 days. Chronic HBsAg carriers with severe liver disease had anti-HBc IgM more often than individuals with minor liver damage; 83% of HBsAg-positive liver cirrhoses, 63% of chronic aggressive hepatitis, 50% of HBsAg-positive liver carcinoma, but only 17% of chronic persistent hepatitis or 7% of healthy blood donors were anti-HBc IgM-positive. Determination of anti-HBc IgM is useful in detecting atypical hepatitis B virus infections without HBsAg in serum and, with some restrictions, in discriminating acute and chronic hepatitis type B.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1984

Use of hepatitis B core antigen produced in Escherichia coli to detect immunoglobulin M specific antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The antigenic activity of HBcAg produced in Escherichia coli and HBcAg from human liver was compared in a mu-specific solid-phase antibody-capture assay for detection of anti-HBc-IgM. HBcAg from liver could be detected in dilutions up to 1:3, HBcAg from Escherichia coli in dilutions up to 1:10,000. Using HBcAg from Escherichia coli, sera from five patients with acute resolving hepatitis B and sera from four patients with acute hepatitis B who had developed chronic liver disease were tested for anti-HBc-IgM in ELISA. IgM fractions separated out of the same sera by immunoaffinity chromatography were tested for anti-HBc-IgM using a commercially available test. The results were in good agreement with those obtained by ELISA. Anti-HBc-IgM could be detected up to 900 days after onset of disease. Different groups of patients were tested for presence of anti-HBc-IgM in ELISA. Fifty-nine of 60 patients with acute hepatitis B were positive for anti-HBc-IgM at onset of illness. Ten of 16 patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis and seven of 23 HBsAg positive dialysis patients were also positive for anti-HBc-IgM, whereas only two of 12 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis and one of 15 HBsAg positive blood donors ("healthy" carriers of HBsAg) had detectable anti-HBc-IgM.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗
PubMed1984

Detection of hepatitis B viral DNA in sera positive for antibody to delta antigen.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected in 17 sera positive for antibody to delta antigen (anti-delta). Six sera from two patients were positive for HBV DNA. Analysis by the Southern blot technique showed identity between HBV DNA in anti-delta-positive and anti-delta-negative sera. These results show that anti-delta-positive sera contain HBV DNA, although these sera were also positive for antibodies to hepatitis B e antigen.

DNA, Viral↗
PubMed1984

HBV-DNA in sera of patients with HBsAg-positive primary liver cell carcinoma.

Sera of ten patients with HBsAg-positive primary liver carcinoma were tested for anti-HBc-IgM and HBV-DNA. Five patients were positive for anti-HBc-IgM and six for HBV-DNA. There was no correlation between the presence of anti-HBc-IgM and HBV-DNA. Our study suggests that complete viral replication exists in some HBsAg-positive primary liver carcinomas.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Non-A, non-B hepatitis in hemodialysis.

Episodes of presumable non-A, non-B hepatitis were determined among hemodialysis patients during a two year period as well as possible secondary infections in household contacts. We determined hepatitis A and B markers by commercial RIA kits, and IgM-anti-CMV and IgM-anti-EBV by ELISA techniques. 154 dialysis patients, 118 relatives of patients, and 42 members of the staff were included in the study. 71% of the center dialysis patients, 63% of the home dialysis patients, 50% of the staff, and 19% of the relatives were HBV marker positive. Spouses of patients more often had HBV markers than other relatives. Anti-HAV was highly prevalent both in center patients (98.8%) and in home dialysis patients (83.3%). The incidence of IgM-anti-CMV was marked in home dialysis patients (15.5%). During a two year period, 9% of all dialysis patients had an episode of presumable non-A, non-B hepatitis. As compared to previous data in the same dialysis centers, there is a change in the epidemiology of hepatitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Follow-up of needlesticks in medical staff.

In an on-going study, 104 events of needlestick or contamination of apparent skin lesions were evaluated for the risk of hepatitis. Whenever possible, a blood sample of the 'donor' was screened for HBsAg as well as for elevated transaminases. Members of the staff were bled immediately after exposure and were followed up for 9 months. At present the follow-up is completed in twenty probands. - Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (= HBIG) was given in 51 cases. HBsAg was detected in 21 donors and strongly supposed in 27 cases. Only one nurse developed acute hepatitis B ten months after exposure to HBsAg-positive blood. 53 probands were exposed to HBsAg-negative blood. 32 persons received SIG. Only 5 'donors' were classified as probable Non-A, Non-B hepatitis which did not induce apparent infections in passively immunized persons. 23 persons did receive neither HBIG nor SIG. 2 persons had been exposed to HBsAg-positive blood by needlestick, still being without seroconversion. Passive immunization after needlestick should be performed after testing blood samples of donors and recipient. After exposure to non-A, non-B hepatitis, secondary infections did not appear in passively immunized persons.

Female↗
PubMed1983

Hepatitis markers in a psychiatric institution.

Hepatitis A and B markers were determined in 714 patients and in 291 members of the staff of a psychiatric institution for adults. The leading diagnosis were psychosis (71.8%), neurosis (17.7%), and oligophrenia (10.6%). Anti-HAV was found in 84.4% of the patients and in 69.2% of the staff. 26.8% of the patients and 19.9% of the staff had at least one HBV marker. The frequency of HBV markers correlated with the age of the patients but not with the duration of the hospitalization. After the exclusion of IgM-anti-HAV, IgM-anti-CMV and IgM-anti-EBV or possible toxic effects, 2.6% of all patients remained as presumable non-A, non-B hepatitis infections. In this study HBV markers were not found in an hyperendemic pattern reported previously in psychiatric institutions.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Hepatitis A and B markers and presumable non-A, non-B hepatitis in a psychiatric institution.

The frequencies of hepatitis A and hepatitis B markers were determined in 291 members of the staff and 714 patients of a psychiatric institution for adults. 71.8% of the patients suffered from psychosis, 17.7% from neurosis, and 10.6% from oligophrenia. 84.4% of the patients and 69.2% of the staff were anti-HAV-positive. - 26.8% of the patients and 19.9% of the staff showed at least one HBV marker. The frequency of anti-HBc increased with age but not with hospitalization. Anti-HBc-positive persons did not show transaminase abnormalities more often as reported previously. - 2.6% of the patients were presumable Non-A, Non-B hepatitis cases after excluding IgM-anti-HAV, IgM-anti-CMV or -EBV and possible toxic effects. The rate of presumable Non-A, Non-B hepatitis equaled the frequency of HBsAg-positive persons.

Adult↗