Seroprevalence of anti-Hp and anti-cagA antibodies among healthy persons in Golestan province, northeast of Iran (2010)

Background: The major cause of peptic ulcer disease is helicobacter pylori (Hp), and it is also implicated in the pathogenesis of adenocarcinoma of the distal stomach and gastric lymphoma. The incidence of peptic ulcer disease, atrophic gastritis, and gastric adenocarcinoma are more common in people infected of cagA positive strains of Hp. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the anti-Hp and anti-cagA antibodies among healthy persons in Golestan province-North of Iran. Methods: The blood samples of 1028 healthy people were collected all over Golestan province by cluster sampling. A demographic questionnaire was completed and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each case. Hp-IgG (Pishtaz teb Co. Iran) and anti- cagA (DIA.PRO Italy) titer were evaluated by Elisa method. Data were collected and analyzed. Results: Six hundred-eighty three individuals (66.4%) were positive for Hp and 395 (57.8%) of them were cagA positive. Hp positive cases were (66.3%) and (66.6%) in male and female, respectively. Prevalence of cagA was 56.3% and 58.9%, respectively. The most seropositivity of Helicobacter Pylori (75.4%) was in 55-64 years old (p<0.001). Prevalence of cagA (63.4%) was more in age between 15-24 years. Conclusion: Prevalence of anti-Hp antibody and strains of cagA seropositive in healthy persons of this province of Iran were relatively high. Preventive protocol for reducing of the infection is recommended

Vaccine therapy in chronic hepatitis b carriers: A randomised double-blind controlled trial

Introduction: Chronic carriers of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) are persistent sources of the virus and may transmit HBV to healthy individuals. Aim: This study was conducted to assess therapeutic effects of HBV vaccine on Chronic HBV Carriers (CHC). Methods and Materials: This clinical trial was conducted on CHCs aged 20-65 years, randomly allocated into four groups. Group 1 (control) did not receive vaccine. Group 2, 3 and 4 (vaccine groups) received different doses of HBV vaccine. HBV viral load (IU/mL) was assessed at baseline and two months after the last dose of HBV vaccine. Reduction or elimination of HBV viral load was considered as positive response. Absolute Response Rates (ARR) was calculated for each group. Subgroup analysis was done on subjects with baseline viral load of <100,000 and negative HBeAb. Relative Response Rates (RRR) was defined as ARR in vaccine group divided by that of control. RRRs were calculated for total participants (overall RRR) and the above-mentioned subgroup of subjects (subgroup RRR). Results: In total, 97 CHCs were recruited. No adverse reaction was reported. There was no significant difference in ARRs between study groups (p-value=0.09). An overall RRR of 0.78 and a subgroup RRR of 1.18 has been reported. A 50 increase was found in the RRR in subgroups of subjects with baseline viral load of <100,000 and negative HBeAb compared to the overall RRR. Conclusion: It may be worth future studies to assess the therapeutic effects of HBV vaccine. © 2018, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved