• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.521-526
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• 1998

The physicochmical properties of recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (r-HBsAg), which was expressed in C127 mammalian cell were studied. Using roller bottle culture in DMEM supplemented with fetal bovine serum, 10-15 mg/L of r-HBsAg was produced with about 31% of purification yield. The purity of r-HBsAg by HPLC was 99.8% and electron microscopic examination showed homogeneous spherical particle with 22 nm in diameter, a morphological characteristic of HBsAg. The density of r-HBsAg by CsCI density gradient method was 1.19g/ml and the isoelectric point by Mono $P^{TM}$ HR 5/20 column was 4.6. The analysis of subunit protein pattern using SDS-PAGE followed by scanning densitometry gave 81.3% of S protein and 18.7% of pre-S protein. fluorophore-assisted-carbohydrate-electrophoresis analysis showed the relative amount of carbohydrate to protein was 1.7% and it smajr component was N-acetyl glucosamine, which was about 39% of total carbohydrate. The relative amount of lipid to protein determined by vanillin phosphoric acid method was 32.5% and its major component was phospholipid, which was about 70% of total lipid. The physicochemical properties of C127 mammalian cell-derved r-HBsAg are similar to those of p-HBsAg, suggesting that the r-HBsAg can be used in developing a new preventive vaccine against hepatitis B.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 1982

Medical personnek are one of several groups that have been reported to have a high incidence of hepatiris B. It is also thought that the occurrence rate of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg), aserologic marker for hepatitis B virus(HBV), is expected to be high in the dental personnel who are frequently exposed to the blood and saliva of the patients. Although many studies have been done to determine the HBsAg status of virus groups, limited investigations have been performed on dental personnel, especially in this country. The main purpose of this study was to identify HBsAg positivity among dental students, interns, and residents who would be expected to be a high risk group of hepatitis B infection. Screening test for HBsAg of a dental school population was performed by indirect hemagglutination(IHA)in 1982. The results were as follows : 1. Thirty four out of a total 362 persons(9.4%)tested in the study had positive response for HBsAg in their serum samples. 2. Twenty seven out of 320 dental students(8.4%)had positive for HBsAg, and in Senior class 12 out of 82 dental students (14.6%)had positive response that was the highest incidence among dental students group. 3. Seven out of 42 interns and residents(16.7%)had positive for HBsAg, and it was the highest incidence in this dental school population.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1983

This study was attempted to define epidemiologically the possibility and the magnitude of sexual transmission of HBV in Korea. Two groups of prostitutes; one group (309) deals with Koreans, the other group (126) deals with American soldiers stationing in Korea, were tested for the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBs. The prevalence rate of HBsAg or anti-HBs was significantly higher in prostitutes who deal with Koreans (41.7%) than in prostitutes who deal with American soldiers (30.2%) (p<0.025). Among the prostitutes who deal with American soldiers, there was no appreciable difference in the prevalence rate of HBsAg or anti-HBs by the duration of prostitution. However, among the prostitutes who deal with Koreans, the prevalence rate was increased with the duration of prostitution, although it did not reach the statistically significant level (p=0.12). There was no remarkable association between the prevalence rate of HBsAg or anti-HBs and educational level, history of operation or history of transfusion. The data support the possibility of sexual transmission of viral hepatitis B but it seems seems sexual transmission does not contribute significantly to the prevalence rate of HBsAg or andi-HBs in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.121-125
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• 2011

Purpose: The DNA-type virus HBV, discovered by D. Dane and others in 1976, is approximately 42nm big and known as the main cause of liver-related diseases around the world. HBsAg has 4 kinds of subtypes including adw, adr, ayw and ayr and besides common antigen factor a, there are d, y, r, w. From the methods of serologically testing HBV, IRMA, EIA and CLIa were developed for testing HBsAg and are being used in examining the surface antigen of HBV. In this study, among the methods for testing HBV, the recently developed RIAKEY Ultrasensitive HBsAg IRMA kit's sensitivity level and performance in detection of mutant forms were measured and compared with CLIA. Materials and methods: Two certified reference materials, which are WHO 1st International Standard 1985(80/549) and WHO 2nd International Standard 2003(00/588. subtype adw2, genotypeA), were used in the examination and the sensitivity level was measured by diluting these materials from 0.08 IU/ml to 0.005 IU/ml. The materials for examining the detection of mutant forms included 9 kinds of subtype 'ad' and one kind of subtype 'ay' purchased from DSI company. Also, with the use of positive and negative samples, they was compared with CLIA. Result: Ultrasensitive HBsAg kit based on IRMA method showed the detection of up to 0.01 IU/ml not only for WHO 1st International Standard 1985(80/549) but also for WHO 2nd International Standard 2003(00/588. subtype adw2, genotypeA) and the sensitivity level was measured as 0.01 IU/ml by WHO standard. In testing the performance for detection of mutant forms, the 9 kinds of subtype 'ad' and one kind of subtype 'ay' mutant materials were detected, demonstrating the capacity of detecting various types of mutant forms. Conclusions: With the clinical importance of sensitivity level and performance in detection of mutant forms increasing in the field of HBsAg diagnosis, the examination of IRMA's effectiveness using RIA method in the aspects of the sensitivity level and performance in detection of mutant forms was carried out and its result is as follows. The sensitivity level was measured as 0.01 IU/ml by WHO standard and it was possible to measure various types of mutant forms with high sensitivity. Thus it is suggested that more speedy and accurate reports could be produced from a nuclear medicine laboratory for clinical practitioners requiring results of various situations.

• Annals of Laboratory Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.578-584
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• 2018

Background: Accurate, rapid, and cost-effective screening tests for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may be useful in laboratories that cannot afford automated chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIAs). We evaluated the diagnostic performance of a novel rapid automated fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). Methods: A fluorescent LFIA using a small bench-top fluorescence reader, Automated Fluorescent Immunoassay System (AFIAS; Boditech Med Inc., Chuncheon, Korea), was developed for qualitative detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs), and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) within 20 minutes. We compared the diagnostic performance of AFIAS with that of automated CLIAs-Elecsys (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany) and ARCHITECT (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA)-using 20 seroconversion panels and 3,500 clinical serum samples. Results: Evaluation with the seroconversion panels demonstrated that AFIAS had adequate sensitivity for HBsAg and anti-HCV detection. From the clinical samples, AFIAS sensitivity and specificity were 99.8% and 99.3% for the HBsAg test, 100.0% and 100.0% for the anti-HBs test, and 98.8% and 99.1% for the anti-HCV test, respectively. Its agreement rates with the Elecsys HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV detection assays were 99.4%, 100.0%, and 99.0%, respectively. AFIAS detected all samples with HBsAg genotypes A-F and H and anti-HCV genotypes 1, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 4, and 6. Cross-reactivity with other infections was not observed. Conclusions: The AFIAS HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV tests demonstrated diagnostic performance equivalent to current automated CLIAs. AFIAS could be used for a large-scale HBV or HCV screening in low-resource laboratories or low-to middle-income areas.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.1 s.21
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• pp.129-136
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• 1987

To determine the hepatitis 8 virus infection rate of the medical school students and appropriate time for immunization with hepatitis B vaccine,355 students in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades of Medical School of Kyungpook National University who had not been vaccinated and volunteered to participate in this study were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc with radioimmunoassay method (Abbott Lab. kit). A questionnaire was administered to ask the history of transfusion, acupuncture and surgery. HBsAg positive students were retested 16 months after the initial test. Overall HBsAg positive rate was 6.8% and the age adjusted rate for male (7.2%) was higher than that for female (4.9%). Anti-HBs positive rate was 35.3% (36.1% for male, 37.9% for female) and anti-HBc positive rate was 45.5% (46.5% for male,44.7% for female). Overall hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection rate was 49.1% and the infection rate for male (50.3%) was slightly higher than that for female (46.5%). HBsAg positive rate and infection rate were increased as the grade increased but it was attributed to the age distribution of the students. HBaAg positive rate for 20 years old students was 1.7%; 21 years, 6.6%; 22 years, 6.1%; 23 years, 12.2%; and 24 years and older, 6.4%. HBV infection rate showed an increasing trend as age increased; 45.8% for 20 years,41.5% for 21 years, 49.5% for 22 years, 55.5% for 23 years and 59.6% for 24 years and older. The age differences in HBsAg positive rates and HBV infection rates did not reach the statistical significance level of 0.05. However, these findings and similar age differences in HBsAg positive rates and HBV infection rates observed in other study suggest that there is a significant age differences. Study of the same age group in other schools and different social classes is warranted to confirm the age difference. Clarification of the reason for such differences would provide a clue to identify the major route of HBV transmission in this age group. Among 26 HBsAg positive students in the initial test, only one student was active hepatitis patient. Out of 24 students who had follow-up test after 16 months 22 students were positive for HBaAg and two students became HBsAg negative and anti-HBs positive. It is obvious that nearly one-half of the medical school students were infected with HBV before 20 years of age and the HBV infection occurs in medical school. Thus, it is recommended to test all the students for HBV infection soon after the admission to the medical school and immunize all the susceptible students with hepatitis B vaccine and give booster as they start to practice at a hospital.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.302-307
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• 1996

Hepatic masses show different enhancing patterns in IV bolus computed tomography: Hepatocellular carcinoma shows high-attenuation in the early enhancing phase and low-attenuation in the late enhancing phase, hemangioma shows peripheral dot-like high-attenuation in the early enhancing phase and central high-attenuation in the late enhancing phase, and metastatic cancer and cholangiocelluar carcinoma show peripheral high-attenuation rim in the early enhancing phase and central portion gradulally high-attenuation in the late enhancing phase. but sometimes enhancing patterns of the hepatic masses are confuse. To evaluate the significance of the AFP level and HBsAg in differentiation of the hepatic masses, we retrospectively analyzed AFP level and HBsAg in 228 pathologically or radiologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinomas, and 137 pathologically nonhepatocellular cacinomas. The results were as follows : In hepatocellular carcinoma, AFP level above 20ng/ml was 77.8% and HBsAg positve was 72.6%. In nonhepatocellular carcinoma, AFP level above 20ng/ml was 3.7% and HBsAg positve was 16.1%. We concluded that AFP level and HBsAg are helpful to distinguish hepatocellular carcinoma from nonhepatocellular carcinoma, when IV bolus computed tomogram finding is uncertain.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.683-689
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• 2005

Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAb) is the important serological marker of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Conventionally, the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) obtained from the plasma of HBV carriers is used as the diagnostic antigen for detection of HBsAb. This blood-origin antigen has some disadvantages involved in high cost, over-elaborate preparation, risk of infection, et al. In an attempt to explore the suitable recombinant HBsAg for the diagnostic purpose, the HBV S gene was expressed in Pichia pastoris and the product was applied for detection of HBsAb. Hepatitis B virus S gene was inserted into the yeast vector and the expressed product was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrolamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immunoblot, electronic microscope and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The preparations of synthesized S protein were applied to detect HBsAb by sandwich ELISA. The S gene encoding the 226 amino acid of HBsAg carrying ahexa-histidine tag at C terminus was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris. The His-Tagged S protein in this strain was expressed at a level of about 14.5% of total cell protein. Immunoblot showed the recombinant HBsAg recognized by monoclonal HBsAb and there was no cross reaction between all proteins from the host and normal sera. HBsAb detection indicated that the sensitivity reached 10 mIu (micro international unit)/ml and the specificity was 100% with HBsAb standard of National Center for Clinical Laboratories. A total of 293 random sera were assayed using recombinant S protein and a commercial HBsAb ELISA kit (produced by blood-origin HBsAg), 35 HBsAb positive sera and 258 HBsAb negative sera were examined. The same results were obtained with two different reagents and there was no significant difference in the value of S/CO between the two reagents. The recombinant HBV S protein with good immunoreactivity and specificity was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris. The reagent for HBsAb detection prepared by Pichia pastoris-derived S protein showed high sensitivity and specificity for detection of HBsAb standard. And a good correlation was obtained between the reagent produced by recombinant S protein and commercial kit produced by blood-origin HBsAg in random samples.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.145-149
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• 2011

Serum hepatitis is still recognized as a major public health problem in many countries. The most common etiologies are acute viral hepatitis A and B, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) was known as the pathogen of serum hepatitis. since the HBV causes chronic hepatitis. HBV infection is hyperendemic in Korea. It is known that 8% and 1% of the Korean population is chronic carriers of HBV. The total number of 487 serum specimen (old people's home 190, causal ward-Daegu hope village 297) were collected at the laboratory of Department of Clinical Pathology of Daegu medical center. The laboratory tested the specimen to detect for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBs using reverse passive hemag-glutination (RPHA) and passive hemagglutination (PHA) method between April, 2011 and June, 2011. In one-step test, HBsAg and anti-HBs of Humasis were used. The positive rate for HBsAg was 6.80% (33/487), and the rate in male was 6.93% (19/274) higher than that of female 6.57% (14/213). In the positive rate of HBsAg by age group, the highest positive rate group was in the group of 40-49 years in male (12.0%), and 50-59 years in female (17.65 %). The overall positive rate for anti-HBs was 42.70% (208/487), showing the higher positive rate of 43.80% in male (120/274) than that of 41.30% (88/213) in female. The highest positive rate of anti-HBs in age group was the 40-49 years group in male (52.00%) and the group of under 29 in female (66.67%).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.1165-1171
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• 2008

Purpose : This study aimed to identify the true extent of non-responsiveness in full-term infants born from HBsAg-negative or HBsAg-positive mothers and vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) at 0, 1, and 6 months of age and to evaluate the effect of revaccination among non-responders. Methods : The study included 716 full-term infants born in 2004-2007. Of 716, 662 infants (A group) were born to HBsAg-negative mothers and 54 infants (B group: 50, except HBsAg-positive infants) were born to HBsAg-positive mothers. All infants were administered DNA recombinant vaccines at 0, 1, and 6 months of age. B group infants received hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth. Anti-HBs titers were tested at 7-12 and 9-15 months in A and B groups, respectively. Three revaccination doses were administered to non-responders whose anti-HBs titers were under 10 mIU/ml; revaccinated infants were retested at 1-3 months after last vaccination. The association between HBeAg seropositivity of mother and the failure of HBV immunoprophylaxis was evaluated. Results : The seroconversion rates after primary hepatitis B vaccination were higher in A group (94.1%) than in B group (78%, P<0.001). The seroconversion rates were high in revaccinated infants (A group non-responders: 96.9%, B group non-responders: 87.5%). The failure of HBV immunoprophylaxis was significantly associated with maternal HBeAg seropositivity (P<0.001). Conclusion : The seroconversion rates after primary hepatitis B vaccination were low in B group infants. Revaccination of non-responders in B group was very effective. Therefore, anti-HBs testing and revaccination of B group is very important. Revaccination of non-responders in A group was also very effective. Thus, testing the immune status of infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers even after primary hepatitis B vaccination should be considered. However, to realize this, further studies on the cost-effectiveness of anti-HBs testing in healthy full-term infants are necessary.