https://www.journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278(14)00526-1/pdf

Global epidemiology and genotype distribution of the hepatitis C virus infection

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer, is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with prevalence 16–32 times higher in developing countries than in developed countr...

Global Burden of Aflatoxin-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Risk Assessment

KDIGO clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hepatitis C in chronic kidney disease

The genomic DNA sequence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) strain HG52 was determined as 154,746 bp with a G+C content of 70.4%. A total of 74 genes encoding distinct proteins was identified; three of these were each present in two copies, within major repeat elements of the genome. The HSV-2 gene set corresponds closely with that of HSV-1, and the HSV-2 sequence prompted several local revisions to the published HSV-1 sequence (D. J. McGeoch, M. A. Dalrymple, A. J. Davison, A. Dolan, M. C. Frame, D. McNab, L. J. Perry, J. E. Scott, and P. Taylor, J. Gen. Virol. 69:1531–1574, 1988). No compelling evidence for the existence of any additional protein-coding genes in HSV-2 was identified.

The Genome Sequence of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2

Hepatitis C virus remains a large health care burden to the world. Incidence rates across the world fluctuate and are difficult to calculate given the asymptomatic, often latent nature of the disease prior to clinical presentation. Prevalence rates across the world have changed as well with more countries aware of transfusion-related hepatitis C and more and more evidence supporting intravenous drug use as the leading risk factor of spread of the virus. This article reviews current hepatitis C virus prevalence and genotype data and examines the different risk factors associated with the virus.

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Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

The seroprevalence and genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) were studied in 283 patients attending six haemodialysis units in Jordan. In all, 98 (34.6%) patients were anti-HCV-positive by EIA, 92 (93.9%) of whom were also reactive in an immunoblot assay. The prevalence of anti-HCV was correlated with a history of blood transfusion before the introduction of blood donor screening for HCV and with duration of haemodialysis. HCV RNA was detected in 30 (30.6%) of 98 anti-HCV-positive sera. HCV viraemia was not associated with a particular antibody for the six HCV antigens studied by the immunoblot assay, although reactivity to the core antigens was greater in the HCV RNA-positive sera than in negative sera. Two HCV genotypes (1 and 4) were identified for the first time in Jordan by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of HCV 5′-NCR. The predominant genotype was HCV 1a (12 of 30). Genotypes 1b and 4 were detected in 10 and 8 patients, respectively. The antibody response to HCV antigens was genotype-dependent, with a wider range of antibody specificities detected in the immunoblot assay in the 12 patients with genotype 1a infection than in the 8 patients with genotype 4. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of antibodies to HCV antigens among patients infected with either genotype 1a or 1b. In conclusion, the prevalence of anti-HCV, blood transfusion, duration of dialysis and HCV genotypes suggest possible nosocomial HCV transmission among patients which needs confirmation by phylogenetic analysis of subgenomic HCV regions.

Hepatitis C virus infection in Jordanian haemodialysis units: serological diagnosis and genotyping.

Differentiation of native goat breeds of Jordan on the basis of morphostructural characteristics

A total of 100 Jordanian clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates was analysed for the presence of the enterotoxin genes sea, seb, sec, sed and see using multiplex PCR. Twenty-three isolates (23 %) were potentially enterotoxigenic. The prevalence of sea, sec and sea plus sec among the total clinical isolates was 15, 4 and 4 %, respectively. None of the isolates harboured sed, seb or see genes. S. aureus isolates were subjected to DNA fingerprinting by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis to test whether isolates harbouring the toxin genes were genetically clustered. A total of 13 genotypes was identified at a 47 % similarity level. Genotypes I and V accounted for the largest number of enterotoxigenic isolates (19 %). This study has demonstrated the genetic diversity of Jordanian clinical S. aureus isolates and shown that the presence of the toxin genes is not genotype specific.

Enterotoxicity and genetic variation among clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Jordan

The present study demonstrates that the nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus was 40% in Jordanian healthy young adult population, and 19% of nasal S. aureus and 57% of clinical isolates over the same period were resistant to oxacillin (MRSA), respectively. The mecA gene was detected in all MRSA isolates in both groups. Most of MRSA isolates were multiresistant to three antibiotic classes (β-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides-lincosamides). This result suggests a serious problem may be encountered in treatment of staphylococcal infections in Jordan.

Antibiotic resistance patterns of mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical specimens and nasal carriage.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Jordan. METHODS: Plasma samples from 1000 pregnant Jordanian women were screened by ELISA for HBV markers (HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc and anti-HBs). RESULTS: HBsAg and HBeAg were detected in 4.3% and 0.1% of the pregnant women, respectively. The overall prevalence of antibodies was 6%, 11.1% and 7.5% for anti-HBe, anti-HBc and anti-HBs, respectively. Women were assigned to four groups according to the serological patterns of HBV markers: susceptible (85.9%), with acute infection (2.9%), with chronic infection (1.4%) and previously infected (9.8%). Most women were at the third trimester of pregnancy, therefore women with acute and chronic hepatitis at this gestational age were at risk of transmitting HBV infection to their newborns. Women who belonged to the low socio-economic class were at higher risk of HBV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, we recommend screening women for HBV during pregnancy in order to identify HBV carriers. All newborns born to carriers should be vaccinated immediately after birth, both passively and actively. Also vaccination of HBV seronegative pregnant women is recommended.

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Salwa Bdour

Papers

Hepatitis C virus infection in Jordanian haemodialysis units: serological diagnosis and genotyping.

Differentiation of native goat breeds of Jordan on the basis of morphostructural characteristics

Enterotoxicity and genetic variation among clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Jordan

Antibiotic resistance patterns of mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical specimens and nasal carriage.

Risk of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus in Jordan.