Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Bar-Shany

Publications and source records attributed to S Bar-Shany.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

A study of hepatitis B antigen carriers among schoolchildren in Netanya, Israel.

In the town of Netanya 9162 elementary schoolchildren (age 6-14 years) were tested for hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg) by the counter-electrophoresis method. The overall prevalence was 1.8% with a higher rate for males (2.2%) than for females (1.4%). Higher rates were observed among children born in the autumn and winter, particularly among the boys. This seasonal trend and male-female difference may partially be explained if infection occurs at circumcision. The ethnic distribution showed highest rates among children of Libyan and Yemenite origin (3.9% and 2.6%, respectively), and lowest rates among children of European and Israeli born parents (0.4% and 0.2%, respectively). Prevalence of HBsAg among children from large families and those from families living in poor and crowded quarters was very significantly higher than among children from smaller families living in richer areas and in less crowded conditions. These variables, which are closely associated with social class, remain significant after adjustment for ethnic origin and seem to account for a large proportion of the variation among the Israeli schoolchildren. The variation due to ethnicity is markedly reduced when adjusted for five other pertinent variables: age, sex, season of birth, crowding and family size. Assuming that prevalence of HBsAg in a population reflects the rates of infection (past or present), the results of this study strongly support the hypothesis that type B hepatitis in Israel behaves essentially as a contagious infection manifested primarily as a subclinical disease of early and mid-childhood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Prevalence of hepatitis B antigen among army inductees.

Eighteen thousand eight hundred and thirty-three consecutive army inductees from the Tel Aviv and Central Districts in Israel were examined for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG) by the counterelectrophoresis technique. The overall prevalence was 1.36%, with a higher rate for males (1.84%) than for females (0.78%). The highest rates were observed among Jews of North African and Yemenite origin (4.14 and 3.97%, respectively) and the lowest rates was found among Jews of European origin (0.31%). There was a negative correlation between the prevalence of HBsAg and the level of education. If we assume that the prevalence of HBsAg in a population reflects the rate of infection with hepatitis B virus interacting with host factors, the results of this study support the hypothesis that infections with type B hepatitis in Israel occur mainly during childhood, more frequently among the lower socioeconomic classes, and with a predilection of either the infection or of the chronic carrier state for males and certain ethnic groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I antibodies in Falashas and other ethnic groups in Israel.

Epidemiological studies of the human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I), a type-C retrovirus of the human T-lymphotropic virus family, have used serological surveys to identify population subgroups possessing a high prevalence of naturally occurring HTLV-I-specific antibodies. Studies carried out to delineate the global distribution of the virus have demonstrated natural antibodies to HTLV-I in the serum of healthy donors from specific geographical areas, and have defined viral endemic areas in Japan, the Caribbean basin, Africa and the southeastern United States. Such studies have suggested that the prevalence of HTLV-I antibodies is directly correlated with age, is associated with the clinical syndrome of adult T-cell lymphoma, and is associated with transmission from mother to child. A separate subtype of the human retrovirus, HTLV-II (refs 21, 22), has also been identified. The population of Israel in part comprises groups of immigrants of various ethnic and geographical origins. Because of this, and the fact that Israel has a highly developed public health system, we surmised that the ethnic groups in Israel could be used in a seroepidemiological survey of HTLV infection. The serological survey reported here demonstrates a high prevalence of HTLV-I antibodies in new immigrants from Ethiopia. This previously ethnically and geographically isolated group, the 'Black Jews' or 'Falashas', from the Gondar region in the northern rural highlands of Ethiopia, has the highest endemic rate of HTLV-I yet reported outside Japan.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Improved detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in blood donors by monoclonal radioimmunoassay.

We evaluated the performance of a monoclonal radioimmunoassay (M-RIA) with enhanced sensitivity and high specificity for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in blood donors. The results were compared to a conventional RIA that used polyvalent antibodies (P-RIA). Analysis of 6409 American blood donors not reactive by P-RIA revealed an additional 1.4 HBsAg-positive donors per 1000 by M-RIA, or an approximate 60 percent, improvement in HBsAg detection rate. Furthermore, in 995 Israeli blood donors negative by P-RIA, 11 additional HbsAg-positive donors were identified. The 55 percent improvement in detection rate was similar to that observed with American blood donors. Since several of the newly identified HBsAg-positive blood donors had antibodies to the core antigen (anti-HBc) as the only serologic evidence of recent or past hepatitis B exposure, we studied an additional 68 anti-HBc-positive individuals with the M-RIA. It was found that 26 percent (18/68) reacted only by M-RIA and not by P-RIA. These findings suggest that there are blood donors with HBsAg undetectable by P-RIA.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Yt blood groups in Israeli Jews, Arabs, and Druse.

The Yta and Ytb allelic frequencies were determined by examining the red cells of 1683 blood samples from Israeli Jews, Arabs, and Druse with anti-Yta and -Ytb. The Ytb allelic frequencies ranged between 0.1005 and 0.1522 in the Jewish communities and were 0.1294 and 0.1429 in the Arab and Druse communities, respectively. These are the highest Ytb allelic frequencies observed so far in any population tested, so the Yt blood group system can be used as a genetic marker in these populations. No factors were recognized that may have influenced the selection for the Ytb allele.

Alleles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of specific IgA and IgM anti-HBc antibodies compared with HBV DNA in the sera of HBsAg chronic carriers.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the significance of IgA antibodies directed against the hepatitis B virus core antigen (IgA anti-HBc) as a marker for viral replication. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Serum samples of 143 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and 189 HBsAg-negative subjects were studied. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction. IgA anti-HBc was determined by a capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay developed in our laboratory. The results were compared with those for IgM anti-HBc, which were determined by a commercially available method. RESULTS: IgA anti-HBc was detected in 57 (40%) and HBV DNA in 38 (27%) of the HBsAg carriers. Among the HBsAg-negative subjects, IgA anti-HBc and HBV DNA were detected simultaneously in four samples. All 42 HBV DNA-positive samples were IgA anti-HBc positive. IgM anti-HBc was detected in 27 (64%) of them. CONCLUSIONS: IgA anti-HBc is a sensitive marker for HBV replication, and its absence may exclude HBV replication. The role of IgA anti-HBc in monitoring response to therapy and predicting clinical course is being evaluated.

Biomarkers↗