Dynamic Characteristics of Serum Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Chinese Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Receiving 7 Years of Entecavir Therapy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The ultimate goal of hepatitis B treatment is hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance. Several factors have been suggested to be associated with the rate of HBsAg reduction in antiviral-naive or lamivudine therapy cohorts. However, there are few studies evaluating the factors during long-term entecavir (ETV) therapy. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the factors to predict the outcome of ETV therapy for 7 years.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 47 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with ETV monotherapy were included in this study. Liver biochemistry, hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological markers, serum HBV DNA, and HBsAg titers were tested at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and yearly from 1 to 7. The associations between factors and HBsAg reduction were assessed using multivariate tests with repeated measure analysis of variance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At baseline, serum HBsAg levels showed a positive correlation with baseline HBV DNA levels (r = 0.625, P < 0.001). The mean HBsAg titers after ETV treatment were significantly lower than the baseline titers (P ranges from 0.025 to 0.000,000,6). The HBsAg reduction rate during the 1st year was greater compared to after 1 year of treatment (P < 0.05). Multivariate test showed that hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroclearance and/or HBsAg reduction ≥0.5 log10 IU/ml at 6 months had a high negative predictive value (96.77%) for HBsAg seroclearance (P = 0.002, P = 0.012, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The HBsAg reduction rate during the 1st year was greater than that after 1 year of treatment. Further, HBeAg status and HBsAg levels at month 6 are the optimal factors for the early prediction of HBsAg seroclearance after long-term ETV therapy in CHB patients.</p>

An epidemiological survey on paragonimiasis in Jin Miaopu township in Shanxi province / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the epidemiological factors and tendency of paragonimiasis in Jin Miaopu township in Zezhou county of Shanxi Province, and to understand the current status of public awareness for providing references to paragonimiasis education and prevention.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A questionnaire survey was conducted among 2172 villagers probing awareness of paragonimiasis and their experiences of eating crabs; Infection screening and antibody test were also performed by means of ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The paragonimiasis knowledge coverage rate was zero, and 67.7% (1471/2172) of the respondents claimed their histories of crab eating and 96.7% (29/30) of crabs were infected with metacercaria of paragonimus. Of all the study subjects, 11% (241/2172) of them were infected with the positive rate of 4.1% (89/270).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The incidence of paragonimiasis is closely related to dietetic habit in local residents. It is extremely necessary to increase the public awareness of paragonimiasis prevention and control and to improve the living conditions and dietetic habits.</p>