Hepatitis B virus genotypes and subgenotypes in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey

To determine the hepatitis B virus [HBV] genotypes and subgenotypes in patients with HBV infection in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. One hundred and thirty-seven patients' samples collected over 5 years [January 2005 to January 2010] at Farabi Hospital in Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey were included in the study. All patients were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] and HBV DNA. The HBV genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR-RFLP] method using an amplified segment of the pre-S region of HBV. One hundred and twenty-five of the 137 HBV samples [91.3%] were identified as genotype D using the PCR-RFLP method. Twelve isolates had undefined patterns, 122 of the 125 samples [97.6%] were determined as subgenotype D2, 2 [1.6%] were subgenotype D1, and one [0.8%] was subgenotype D-del. Similar findings in the other parts of the Turkey, the predominant patterns of HBV prevailing among patients in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey were of genotype D and subgenotype D2.

Evaluation of a new rapid lateral flow chromatography test for the diagnosis of helicobacter pylori

The rapid, simple and non-invasive diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori] infection is important in implementing chemotherapy in appropriate manner, and in assessing persistent H. pylori infection after eradication therapy. The ImmunoCard STAT! HpSA kit [Meridian Bioscience, Europe] is a lateral flow chromatography test which utilizes a monoclonal anti-H. pylori antibody. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of the ImmunoCard STAT! HpSA test before and after eradication therapy on patients referred to undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Sixty-five consecutive patients who were referred to undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the Department of Gastroenterology, Karadeniz Technical University Medical School, Turkey between February and August 2005 were included in this study. The ImmunoCard STAT! HpSA was compared with 4 invasive tests [histology, gram staining, rapid urease test, and culture]. The reference method was defined as positive when 2 of the 4 invasive tests were positive. A negative H. pylori status was considered when all 4 tests present concordant negative results. Overall, the ImmunoCard STAT! HpSA test had 77.8% sensitivity, 79.3% specificity, 82.4% positive predictive value [PPV] and 74.2% negative predictive value [NPV] in all patients. With regard to pre-treatment values, the sensitivity was 70.6%, specificity 70.6%, PPV 100% and NPV 100% while on post-treatment group the sensitivity was 84.2%, specificity 64.7%, PPV 72.7% and NPV 78.6%. Our results indicate that the ImmunoCard STAT! HpSA test is a rapid, simple, and helpful procedure not only to determine H. pylori infection but also to assess the success of eradication therapy