Hanover and Frankfurt, up to 71.6% reported consumption of crack, in Leipzig 66.9% indicated consumption of methamphetamine. History of incarceration was reported by 72.8–85.8%, and 17.7–39.8% of these had injected drugs in prison. 54.6–88.1% have ever been in opioid substitution therapy (OST). HCV-seroprevalence was 42.3–75.0%, with 23.1–54.0% of viremic infections. HBV-prevalence (HBV-DNA or anti-HBc) was 4.6–33.0%, and anti-HBs as marker for vaccination was 15.1–52.4%. The proportion of participants ever tested for HCV was 70.3–95.9%. We diagnosed 9.5–28.8% of viremic HCV-infections among never positive-tested participants in the respective cities. Unsafe use behaviour like sharing needles, syringes or other paraphernalia like spoons, filters or water was indicated by 36–48%. We identified gaps in knowledge of HCV transmission, HBV vaccination and HCV treatment options. Targeted counselling was accepted by 29.8–79.8%. CONCLUSION: High HCV prevalence and low prevalence of HBV vaccination despite official national recommendations to provide HBV vaccination to all PWID indicate the need for intensified prevention strategies, scale-up of targeted vaccination and of antiviral treatment, above all of HCV among PWID. Targeted counselling was well accepted and should be regularly offered in low-threshold drug services. Incarceration and regular contact with the medical system during OST should be effectively used for prevention measures, testing, counselling and treatment.

patients examined for markers of HEV were seropositive. 4 patients out of 19 had both anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG (0.80%), 5 patients (1.0%) had only anti-HEV IgM and 10 patients had only anti-HEV IgG (2.0%). Detection rate of Hepatitis E antibodies in healthy population of Nizhny Novgorod was 7.83% (74 individuals of 945 samples). Frequency of anti-HEV IgM only was 1.8% (17 individuals); anti-HEV IgG only occurred with the frequency 4.23% (40 individuals). Simultaneous presence of anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG was 1.80% (17 out of 945). 22 samples out of the 504 samples from pregnant women (4.36%) had antibodies to HEV. 13 patients (2.58%) had only anti-HEV IgG and 5 patients (0.99%) had only anti-HEV-IgM, 4 patients out of 22 had both anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG (0.79%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anti-HEV in group of blood donors was higher (7.83%) than in HIV infected patients (3.8%) and pregnant women (4.36%), p < 0.01. This is an evidence of intense Hepatitis E virus circulation in apparently healthy population of Nizhny Novgorod. This study suggests that significant proportions of pregnant women are at risk of HEV infection developing. A high percentage of anti-HEV detection in pregnant women defines the importance of monitoring this population. The lowest percentage of detection of Hepatitis E markers in HIV-positive patients may be caused by interactive effect of viruses in case of HIV/HEV co-infection.

Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C infection and an assessment of HCV-genotypes and two IL28B SNPs among people who inject drugs in three regions of Nepal H-T Kinkel, KB Dibesh, S Jivan, M Sulochana, P Santosh, K Prajwola, S Deepika, T Reenu, K Prawchan, R Apurva and SM Dixit Deutsche Gesellschaft f€ ur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Harm Reduction Program, Kathmandu, Nepal, Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN), Kathmandu, Nepal, Trichandra College, Microbiology, Kathmandu, Nepal, St Xaviers College, Microbiology, Kathmandu, Nepal, SPARSHA Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal

wed serological profile of previous hepatitis B vaccination (anti-HBs isolated).The four HBV DNA-positive samples were classified as subgenotype A1 (3/4) and D3 (1/4).The male gender (adjusted OR: 2.65; p = 0.007), age (adjusted OR: 1.07; p = 0.000), previous transfusion (adjusted OR: 2.52; p = 0.025) and greater period of time living in settlements (adjusted OR: 1.10; p = 0.026) were associated with HBV exposure.A total of 181 HBV susceptible individuals received the first vaccine dose, but only 106 (58.6%; 106/ 181) completed vaccination.Of these, it was possible to assess vaccine response in 77 subjects, and 68.8% (53/77) presented protective titers of anti-HBs.Most non-responders to the vaccine were more than 40 years old (23/24, p < 0.001), and 50% (12/24) were smokers (p < 0.009).Nobody was anti-HDV-positive.CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrates the need for effective strategies to prevent hepatitis B in the settlement projects subpopulation, emphasizing vaccination against hepatitis.

Data reported during recent years reveal the complex picture of the epidemiology of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in Latin America. Whereas in countries like Argentina and Brazil is almost identical to the characteristic of most countries from North America and Europe, HEV in the Caribbean and Mexico involves the water-borne, non-zoonotic viral genotypes responsible for epidemics in Asia and Africa. Nevertheless, Latin America has been considered a highly endemic region for hepatitis E in the scientific literature, a generalization that ignores the above complexity. In addition, reports from isolated Amerindian communities, which display well known, important and very specific epidemiological features for hepatitis B and D virus infections are neither taken into account when considering the epidemiology of hepatitis E in the region. This review updates compilation of the available information for the HEV infection, both among humans and other mammals, in Latin America, discusses the strengths and the weaknesses of our current knowledge, and identifies future areas of research. J. Med. Virol. 85: 10371045, 2013. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

One of the mechanisms of functioning for viral cap-independent translational enhancers (CITEs), located in 3′ non-translated regions (NTRs), is 3′ NTR–5′ leader long-distance base pairing. Previously, we have demonstrated that the RNA2 3′ NTR of Blackcurrant reversion nepovirus (BRV) contains a CITE, which must base pair with the 5′ NTR to facilitate translation. Here we compared translation strategies employed by BRV RNA1 and RNA2, by using mutagenesis of the BRV NTRs in firefly luciferase reporter mRNA, in plant protoplasts. Translation mechanisms, based on 3′ CITEs, 5′ NTR–3′ NTR base pairing and poly(A) tail-stimulation, were found conserved between RNA1 and RNA2. The 40S ribosomal subunit entry at the RNA1 leader occurred, at least partly, via an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES). Two RNA1 leader segments complementary to plant 18S rRNA enhanced translation. A model for BRV RNAs translation, involving IRES-dependent 40S subunit recruitment and long-distance 5′ NTR–3′ NTR base pairing, is discussed.

ABSTRACT A number of reports have indicated an increased risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals carrying HBV e antigen (HBeAg)-negative variants. Although distinct core promoter and precore mutations distributed according to geographical locality and viral genotype have been reported, epidemiological data from South America are still scarce. The prevalences of HBV genotypes and core promoter and precore polymorphisms in 75 HBeAg-negative Argentinean blood donors were surveyed. The observed frequencies of HBV genotypes were 64.0% for genotype F, 17.3% each for genotypes A and D, and 1.3% for genotype C. Genotype F strains were widely distributed and significantly more prevalent in the northern region of the country ( P < 0.001). An overall high proportion of a stop codon mutation (UAG) at precore codon 28 (66.7%) was observed. Wild-type codon 28 (UGG) was present in 29.3% of the samples, and the remaining 4.0% of samples had mixed variants. The combination of A at nucleotide (nt) 1762 and G at nt 1764 of the core promoter was found in 58.7% of the samples. The variant profiles—T at nt 1762 and A at nt 1764 or A at nt 1762 and A at nt 1764—were detected in 28.0 and 1.3% of the samples, respectively. The observed core promoter polymorphisms could not be related to the ratio of HBeAg to anti-HBeAg antibody, HBV genotype, or precore codon 28 status. Nevertheless, a clear association of genotype F and a precore stop codon mutation was found ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, HBV genotype F and mutant codon 28 strains predominated and were strongly associated in a geographically broad Argentinean blood donor population.

Background-Less than 15% of patients with chronic hepatitis C show a sustained virological response to interferon treatment.Aim-To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different doses of ketoprofen combined with interferon-alpha 2b in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.Patients/Methods-Seventy compensated patients with chronic hepatitis C received interferon-alpha 2b 3 million units three times a week for six months. They were randomly assigned to: group 1 (n = 23), interferon-alpha 2b alone; group 2 (n = 23), interferon-alpha 2b plus 200 mg ketoprofen three times a week; group 3 (n = 24), interferon-alpha 2b plus 200 mg ketoprofen twice a day. Complete and sustained responses were defined as normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels and negative serum hepatitis C virus RNA at six and 12 months respectively.Results-Complete and sustained responses were similar in groups 1 and 2: 10% v 5% and 5% v 0% respectively. In group 3, complete response was 29% (p = 0.13 v group 1 and p = 0.04 v group 2) and sustained response was 26% (p = 0.07 v group 1 and p = 0.01 v group 2). Overall, adverse events were similar in the three groups. However, 'flu-like syndrome was less common in group 2 (30%) and group 3 (37%) than in group 1 (77%) (p = 0.01).Conclusions-Twice daily ketoprofen administration combined with interferon-alpha 2b produced an increase in complete and sustained responses. Although the combination of interferon-alpha 2b with ketoprofen was well tolerated and decreased the incidence of 'flu-like syndrome, it is advisable to monitor possible non-steroid antiinflammatory drug hepatotoxicity.