• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2020

Chronic hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection remains a major health threat, especially in high-prevalence areas. Most infants infected by mother-to-infant HBV transmission become chronic carriers. In Taiwan, many important preventive interventions have been implemented to block the perinatal transmission of HBV in the past 35 years. The first nationwide universal HBV vaccination program was launched in Taiwan in July 1984. The three-dose HBV vaccine completion rate reached 98.1% in 2018. The prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decreased from 9.8% in pre-vaccinated period in 1984 to 0.5% in the vaccinated cohort in 2014. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children aged 6-9 years significantly declined from 0.52 to 0.13 per 100,000 children born before and after 1984, respectively. Furthermore, we have performed a maternal HBV screening program during pregnancy since 1984, with the screening rate peaked at 93% in 2012. The HBsAg- and HBeAg-seropositive rate in pregnant women declined from 13.4% and 6.4% in 1984-1985 to 5.9% and 1.0% in 2016, respectively. To closely control perinatal HBV infection, we have administered hepatitis B immunoglobulin immediately after birth and checked the serum level of HBsAg and anti-HBs in high-risk babies born to HBsAg-seropositive mothers, irrespective of their HBeAg status, since July 2019. We have also adopted short-term antiviral treatments such as tenofovir 300 mg daily in the third trimester for highly viremic mothers and reduced the perinatal infection rates from 10.7 to 1.5%. Through all these efforts, we expect to meet the global goal of eliminating HBV infection by 2030.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.1 s.23
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• pp.31-46
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• 1988

In order to designate a present status necessary for establishment of preventive measures and guidelines of health education against hepatitis B in the course of secondary school education, knowledge and practice toward hepatitis B virus infection was surveyed by a questionnare method on total of 4,855 college entrants in the academic year of 1987 and analyzed the data collected using IBM PC(Trigem 88-II) with SAS package program. About two per cent of college entrants had past history of HBV infections not showing any difference between both sexes and geographical regions. About one third(33.7%) of total students had tested hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg), only 4% had tested hepatitis B surface antibody(HBsAb) and vaccination rate amounted to 24.6%, one fourth of total subjects. Both serological tests and vaccination were most commonly performed during adolescence, showing higher rates in female students than in male students. The rates also seemed to be higher in those from urban cities than those from rural cities. Students who had acquired correct knowledge that hepatitis B was infected by virus were amounted to 78.5% of college entrants, and remaining 21.5% had misunderstood that rickettsia, bacteria, fungi or parasites were causal agents. Female students were better aware of the causal agents than male students but there was no difference between places of growth. As for mode of transmission of HBV, 51.5% of male students and 47.7% of female students had correct knowledge. A very few student had known that fact that HBV was transmitted by body fluids such as tear(6.9%), nasal discharge(10.1%) and semen or vaginal secretion(19.2%) and majority(75%) of students had misunderstood that hepatitis B virus would be transmitted per os through food ingestion. Approximately one half(48.9%) of college entrants had knew correctly whom to be vaccinated. Approximately one half of the students knew that hepatr;ma(57.8%) and liver cirrhosis(57.4%) might complicate with hepatitis B virus infection, whereas 12.0% of the students responded that bronchitis was one of the complications of hepatitis B infection. In summary of the above results, we highly recommend that health education program for eradication of hepatitis B virus infection should be introduced in curricula of secondary school education in this country.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.125-136
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the recognition of the infection routes, symptoms and treatments of HBV by students of health-related departments so as to help students learn correct knowledge about hepatitis B and provide the basic data for establishment of oral health policies to prevent hepatitis B and improve the quality of infection management. For the subjects of this study, 666 students of health-related departments and other departments of universities in Daegu City, Gyeongbuk Province were arbitrarily chosen and given a questionnaire. Then the questionnaires collected between October 1st and 31st, 2007 were analyzed. Major findings from this study are summarized below. 1. Regarding general characteristics of the subjects, 311 were students of health-related departments and 355 were students of other departments. 55.9% of the health-related department students and 49.0% of the other department students received immunization against hepatitis. 36.0% of the health-related department students and 31.6% of the other department students had antibodies. 2. Regarding the recognition of the infection routes of HBV, the right answer "Infected through placenta" was chosen by more juniors(94.4%), sophomores(93.8%) and freshmen(74.1%) of health-related departments than other students in this order (P<0.05). The answer "Infected through sexual intercourse" was chosen by the highest percentage(75.0%) of juniors followed by freshmen(69.2%) and sophomores(31.9%) (P<0.05). 3. The percentages of health-related department students who knew that "HBV can develop into hepatic cirrhosis or liver cirrhosis were the highest among juniors(88.9%), freshmen(87.7%) and sophomores(68.8%) in this order(P<0.05). Among the other department students, the percentages of right answers to the question "Acute HBV infection shows jaundice" were the highest among juniors(75.0%), sophomores(74.8%) and freshmen(58.7%)(P<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 1993

In order to understand the effect of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) on the economic performance of ducks, Three groups (DHBV congenitally infected, experimentally infected and DHBV negative) Brown Tsaiya ducks (Anas platyrhyncha) were used for experimental animals. Artificial insemination and pedigree hatching were applied in the propagation of ducklings, and the efficiency of vertical transmission and experimental infection was analyzed through the detection of DHBV DNA in the sera of 8-week-old offspring. The observation of the records of the first year indicated that the persistent infection had no significant effects on the performance of ducks, except the egg number of survival ducks up to 40 week of age. Thus DHBV infection did not appear to give ill effects to the economic performance of ducks in first laying year. A higher infection rate (85.3%) was obtained in congenital transmission than that (75.5%) of experimental infection. Both modes of infection did not reach 100% infectious rate, although some ducks developed transient viraemia in a tracing of DHBV DNA for 24 weeks to 11 challenged ducklings.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to obtain the basic data for the establishment of the curriculum from the analysis of knowledge about hepatitis B among dental hygiene students. Methods: Data was collected from the students of two colleges majoring in dental hygiene in Daegu, using questionnaire. They were the students of the 1st, 2nd, and 3 grade, in total 390 student. The analysis was made using t-test, (one-way ANOVA), and multiple linear regression analysis. These were conducted using spss 14.0 version Results: Hepatitis B in the theoretical knowledge 'yes' if the answer 'When one of the family member is contaminated with Hepatitis the other members have to take the physical examination and vaccination against Hepatitis' to 86.7 % was the highest. The educational experience(p<0.01) and hepatitis B vaccination(p<0.001) of the mean difference between the groups investigated were statistically significant. Third grade, the higher the knowledge of hepatitis B was found to be lower relationship showed a statistically significant negative(p<0.05), clinical experience, the more experience, the more hepatitis B vaccinations were higher statistical knowledge relationship showed a significant positive(p<0.01). Conclusion: Currently dental hygiene curriculum is offered as a regular dental infection control subject, but more specific and systematic infection prevention subjects are required through continuing education program. In addition, for the admission of the students majoring in dental hygiene hepatitis B vaccination plan should be mandatory.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.219-233
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• 2005

This study was conducted on 185 workers at 73 dental clinics and university hospitals in Daegu to investigate the actual prevention of infection and vaccination against B-type hepatitis among dental workers. 1. According to the result of medical examination, only 35 out of 144 (24%) dental clinic workers had periodic health examination while 7 out of 9 (78%) university hospital workers did. 2. In a survey on vaccination against B-type hepatitis, 52 workers aged 29 or younger (96.3%), 38 dental hygienists (51.9%) and 44 dental workers at dental clinics (81.5%) have not had any vaccination against B-type hepatitis. The rest appeared to have had vaccination or be aware that they had antibody against B-type hepatitis without having to have any vaccination. 3. According to the result of a survey on the existence of antibody by job, 42 (56%) of dental hygienists, 15 (20%) of assistant nurses, 12 (16%) of medical assistants and 6 (8%) of dental technicians did not know whether or not they had antibody. This suggests that all types of dental workers except dental hygienists have low awareness of whether or not they have antibody. 4. In a survey on the relation between general characteristics of subjects and the sterilization of dental equipment, alcohol disinfection of high speed handpiece and low speed handpiece was most common among dental workers aged 29 or younger, and all of those aged over 40 used autoclave. By position, alcohol disinfection was used most commonly for high-speed handpiece. antiseptic solution deposition for disposable suction lips, and autoclaving for impression. By workplace, dental workers at university hospitals used autoc1aving most frequently for high/low speed handpiece while those at dental hospitals and dental clinics used alcohol disinfection most frequently and even some respondents replied that they did not disinfect. For metal cups, workers at dental clinics and dental hospitals did not use any sterilizing method while those at university hospitals used autoclaving. For disposable suction tips, workers at dental clinics used antiseptic solution deposition and those at dental hospitals used alcohol disinfection but some respondents replied that they did not disinfect. For metal suctions and impression trays, autoclaving was most common in all workplaces but some dental clinics replied that they did not disinfect impression trays. According to work experience, alcohol disinfection was most common for high/low speed handpiece. For disposable suction tips, dental workers with 3 years' or shorter work experience, those with 3~6 years' experience and those with 9~12 years' experience used antiseptic solution deposition most commonly, and many of those with 6~9 years replied that they did not disinfect. The results of this study stated above suggest that systematic education is necessary for all dental workers for enhancing th eir awareness of B-type hepatitis and the prevention of infection. Moreover, dental workers are required to make efforts to prevent infection with B-type hepatitis voluntarily and actively.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.30.1-30.18
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• 2023

About 0.8 million people die because of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection each year. In around 5% of infected adults, the immune system is ineffective in countering HBV infection, leading to chronic hepatitis B (CHB). CHB is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, which can lead to patient death. Unfortunately, although current treatments against CHB allow control of HBV infection, they are unable to achieve complete eradication of the virus. Cytokines of the IFN family represent part of the innate immune system and are key players in virus elimination. IFN secretion induces the expression of interferon stimulated genes, producing proteins that have antiviral properties and that are essential to cell-autonomous immunity. IFN-α is commonly used as a therapeutic approach for CHB. In addition, IFN-γ has been identified as the main IFN family member responsible for HBV eradication during acute infection. In this review, we summarize the key evidence gained from cellular or animal models of HBV replication or infection concerning the potential anti-HBV roles of IFN-γ with a particular focus on some IFN-γ-inducible genes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.430-433
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• 2018

Hepatitis B is a major health problem in China. However, little is known about the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Kaifeng, the major urban capital of Henan province, China. We found that HBV prevalence increased with age and that chronic HBV was predominant in adult males in Kaifeng. The HBV prevalence remained unchanged over a 5-year period for all age groups. Alarmingly, 25% of the population remained unvaccinated and potentially susceptible to future HBV infection. HBV immunization and health education initiatives should be carried out in this population to further reduce the overall prevalence of HBV.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.207-215
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge and differences about hepatitis B among dental hygiene students in Masan university. The study surveyed by means of self-administered questionnaire consisted 193 of them. The converted score of knowledge of hepatitis B among 1st and 2nd grade students was 61.3(${\pm}22.4$) and 73.1(${\pm}18.3$) point respectively if 100 point for all statements were correctly answered. They have a good understanding of knowledge of hepatitis B except air bone infection and transmission by fomites. There is no differences of knowledge about hepatitis B according to socio-economic factor like father's education, mother's education and income. In conclusion, dental hygiene students should be educated more about hepatitis B.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.209-214
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• 2003

To determine the clinical usefulness of Immuno Blot test, 160 samples from the patients with chronic HCV infection were analyzed. And serotyping and line probe assay were performed to evaluate the distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Korean isolates. In this group, as a result of genotyping type 1 band 2a, the serotype I and II were the most common source of HCV infection. There were no significant difference in response to the alpha-interferon HCV infection treatment with the subtype 1 b or 2a. And the serotypes of NS4 peptides were compared with the genotypes to evaluate their clinical usefulness. Among 49 cases studied for genotypes and serotype, genotype 1 b, 1 b/2b, 2a, 2a/2c and 2b were 51.0％, 2.0％, 34.6％, 8.1％ and 4.0％, respectively. The serotypes I and II were 57.1％ and 42.8％, respectively; they were matched with genotypes in 85.7％ and seemed to be easy to perform. To monitor their performing progress or treatment response, serotype test was made before the genotype test. The Result showed that there was no significant difference in response to the alpha-interferon HCV infection treatment with the subtype 1 b or 2a in Korea.