General Epidemiological Parameters of Viral Hepatitis A, B, C, and E in Six Regions of China: A Cross-Sectional Study in 2007

BACKGROUND: Viral hepatitis is a serious health burden worldwide. To date, few reports have addressed the prevalence of hepatitis A, B, C, and E in China. Therefore, the general epidemiological parameters of viral hepatitis remain unknown. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this cross-sectional study, we performed a serological prevalence analysis of viral hepatitis A, B, C, and E in 8,762 randomly selected Chinese subjects, which represented six areas of China. The overall prevalence of anti-Hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) was 0.58%, which was much lower than was estimated by WHO. The prevalences of Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-Hepatitis B virus surface protein antibody (HBsAb), and anti-Hepatitis B virus core protein antibody (HBcAb) were 5.84%, 41.31%, and 35.92%, respectively, whereas in the group of subjects less than 5 years old, these prevalences were 1.16%, 46.77%, and 8.69% respectively, which suggests that the Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-carrier population is decreasing, and the nationwide HBV vaccine program has contributed to the lowered HBV prevalence in the younger generation in China. Meanwhile, a large deficit remains in coverage provided by the national HBV immune program. In addition, our data suggested the possibility that HBsAb may not last long enough to protect people from HBV infection throughout life. The overall prevalence of anti-Hepatitis A virus antibody (anti-HAV) and anti-Hepatitis E virus antibody (anti-HEV) were as high as 72.87% and 17.66%, respectively. The indices increased with age, which suggests that a large proportion of Chinese adults are protected by latent infection. Furthermore, the pattern of HEV infection was significantly different among ethnic groups in China. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provided much important information concerning hepatitis A, B, C, and E prevalence in China and will contribute to worldwide oversight of viral hepatitis

Effect of biomass burning on black carbon (BC) in South Asia and Tibetan Plateau: The analysis of WRF-Chem modeling

The focus of this study is to evaluate the impact of biomass burning (BB) from South Asia and Southeast Asia on the glaciers over the Tibetan Plateau. The seasonality and long-termtrend of biomass fires measured by Terra and Aqua satellite data from 2010 to 2016 are used in this study. The analysis shows that the biomass burnings were widely dispersed in the continental of Indian and Southeast Asia and existed a strong seasonal variation. The biomass burnings in winter (January) were relatively weak and scattered and were significantly enhanced in spring (April). The highest biomass burnings located in two regions. One was along the foothill of Himalayas, where is a dense population area, and the second located in Southeast Asia. Because these two high biomass burning regions are close to the Tibetan Plateau, they could have important effects on the BC deposition over the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau. In order to study the effect of BB emissions on the deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, a regional chemical model (WRF-Chem; Weather Research and Forecasting Chemical model) was applied to simulate the BC distributions and the transport from BB emission regions to the glaciers in Tibetan Plateau. The result shows that in winter (January), due to the relatively weak BB emissions, the effect of BB emissions on BC concentrations was not significant. The BC concentrations resulted from BB emissions ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 mu g/m(3), with high concentrations distributed along the foothill of Himalayas and the southeastern Asia region. Due to the relative low BC concentrations, there was insignificant effect of BB emissions on the deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau in winter. However, the BB emissionswere highest in spring (April), producing high BC concentrations. For example, along the Himalayas Mountain and in the southeastern Asia region, The BC concentrations ranged from 2.0 to 6.0 mu g/m(3). In addition to the high BC concentrations, there were also west and south prevailing winds in these regions. As a result, the BC particles were transported to the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, causing significant deposition of BC particles on the snow surface of the glaciers. This study suggests that the biomass burning emissions have important effects on the BC deposition over the glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, and the contaminations of glaciers could have significant impact on the melting of snow in the Tibetan Plateau, causing some severe environmental problems, such as the water resources. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All right

Immune responses to HBsAg conjugated to protein D of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae in mice.

BACKGROUND:Hepatitis B vaccine that contains an aluminum hydroxide adjuvant induces apoptotic death of Hepa 1-6 cells. Difficult-to-degrade chemical additives in vaccines effectively enhance vaccine immunogenicity, but also affect the host tissue. Identification of bio-molecules that are readily degraded and compatible in vivo as an adjuvant is important for vaccine research. The hapten-carrier effect suggests that stimulation of helper T (Th) cells by carrier adjuvants is feasible. Protein D (PD) of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae covalently conjugated to some polysaccharide vaccines has been confirmed to convert T-cell independent (TI) antigens into T-cell dependent (TD) antigens, and elicit strong T-cell responses ultimately. Herein, we would substitube PD for aluminum hydroxide adjuvant in Hepatitis B vaccine. METHODS AND RESULTS:Truncated PD (amino acids 20-364) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and DEAE chromatography. After evaluation of antigenicity by western blotting, PD was covalently conjugated to yeast-derived recombinant HBsAg by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. Intramuscular immunization with the conjugate induced higher level of HBsAg-specific antibody than did HBsAg alone (p < 0.05), and was comparable to commercial Hepatitis B vaccine. During the surveillance period (days 35-105), anti-HBs titers were hold high. Moreover, the conjugated vaccine enhanced Th1 immune responses, while Th2 responses were also activated and induced an antibody response, as determined by IFN-γ ELISPOT and IgG1/IgG2a ratio assays. CONCLUSIONS:Recombinant truncated PD covalently conjugated to HBsAg antigen enhanced the immunogenicity of the antigen in mice simultaneously by humoral and cellular immune response, which would facilitate therapeutic hepatitis B vaccines

Data from: Epidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus in China: results from the Third National Viral Hepatitis Prevalence Survey, 2005-2006

In China, hepatitis E virus (HEV) is prevalent and causes disease, but its epidemiological profile is not well understood. We used a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect total antibodies to hepatitis E virus in 15,862 serum samples collected during the Third National Viral Hepatitis Prevalence Survey. The results were analyzed to calculate estimates of HEV seroprevalence and to examine the effects of some putative risk factors. The seroprevalence of HEV in the general Chinese population during the period from 2005 through 2006 was 23.46% (95% confidence interval [CI], 18.41%–28.50%). The farming population, the age group of 15–60 year olds, and those living in the Midwest or Mideast region and in Xinjiang province had the highest seroprevalence estimates. The prevalence of HEV is high in China. The seroprevalence rate of HEV shows an unbalanced distribution among areas with different geographic location and economic development levels. The characteristics of the distribution associated may be due to the route of HEV transmission (via contaminated water or animal reservoirs). Within the same region, the seroprevalence of HEV is generally increased with age

Epidemiology of hepatitis E virus in China: results from the Third National Viral Hepatitis Prevalence Survey, 2005-2006.

In China, hepatitis E virus (HEV) is prevalent and causes disease, but its epidemiological profile is not well understood. We used a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect total antibodies to hepatitis E virus in 15,862 serum samples collected during the Third National Viral Hepatitis Prevalence Survey. The results were analyzed to calculate estimates of HEV seroprevalence and to examine the effects of some putative risk factors. The seroprevalence of HEV in the general Chinese population during the period from 2005 through 2006 was 23.46% (95% confidence interval [CI], 18.41%-28.50%). The farming population, the age group of 15-60 year olds, and those living in the Midwest or Mideast region and in Xinjiang province had the highest seroprevalence estimates. The prevalence of HEV is high in China. The seroprevalence rate of HEV shows an unbalanced distribution among areas with different geographic location and economic development levels. The characteristics of the distribution associated may be due to the route of HEV transmission (via contaminated water or animal reservoirs). Within the same region, the seroprevalence of HEV is generally increased with age

Kinetics of serum anti-HBs antibody.

<p>The symbol “A” represents statistical significant difference between conjugated vaccine and commercial vaccine groups; The symbol “B” represents statistical significant difference between conjugated vaccine and HBsAg-alone groups; The symbol “C” represents statistical significant difference between commercial vaccine and HBsAg-alone groups.</p

SDS-PAGE analysis of the small-scale expression of truncated PD.

<p>Lane M, pre-stained protein molecular weight marker; lane 1, negative control; lane 2–5, expression of different single-colonies.</p

Proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the splenotype-immunized conjugated vaccine, commercial vaccine and PBS groups.

<p>Proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the splenotype-immunized conjugated vaccine, commercial vaccine and PBS groups.</p

Serum IgG1/IgG2a ratios in the experimental groups.

<p>The symbol “*” represents statistical significant difference between the groups in the segment ends.</p