Serological evidence for hepatitis E virus infection in Israel.

Israel is suspected to be endemic for hepatitis E virus (HEV) because of its geographic location and the large-scale immigration from endemic countries. Although no cases of local HEV infection have been diagnosed, a serological survey would provide indirect evidence for such infection. We examined sera from 1,416 healthy subjects, including 1,139 Jews from various regions of Israel and 277 Arabs, most of whom reside in the West Bank of the Jordan River. In addition, we tested 13 non-A, non-B, and non-C viral hepatitis patients. Sera were screened for antibody to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) by a newly developed enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by immunoblots for both IgG and IgM anti-HEV activity. Positive samples were confirmed by neutralization. The seroprevalence found by EIA was 2.81% and 1.81% in the Jewish and Arab populations, respectively. More than a 2-fold higher prevalence in males compared to females and an increase with age were found in both populations. However, these differences were nonsignificant. The geographical distribution was even throughout the country, except for two clusters of 3 and 4 seropositive individuals possibly reflecting past foci of infection. Eight of 37 EIA-positive sera were positive for IgG, and 3 were positive for IgM by the immunoblot assay. Among hepatitis patients (9 acute and 4 chronic), one patient with chronic hepatitis was positive for both IgG and IgM. Our study provides indirect evidence that Israel is endemic for HEV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[DNA fingerprinting in paternity testing].

Laboratory tests used in cases of disputed paternity identify genetically determined gene products inherited in a dominant Mendelian fashion. Red blood cell groups, isoenzymes, serum proteins and the HLA system are the most commonly used systems in these tests. The application of DNA technology increases the scope of paternity tests and provides the court with extremely precise laboratory-based conclusions which approach near certainty.

Bulgarian Jews in Israel: genetic blood markers. Red-cell antigens, serum proteins and red-cell isozymes.

Two hundred and sixteen unrelated Bulgarian Jews were typed for the following genetic systems: ABO, MNS, Rh, Kell and Duffy of the blood groups; ADA, AK1, ACP1, ESD, GLO, PGD, PGM1 and PGM2 of the red-cell enzymes, and for the serum proteins HP, GC and PI. A comparison of observed gene frequencies with those of two other Sephardi Jewish groups, from Libya and Morocco, disclosed significant heterogeneity in several systems. This was mostly due to Moroccan Jews differing from Bulgarian or from both the Libyan and Bulgarian Jews. A comparison of gene frequencies in Bulgarian Jews with those in Oriental Jews from Iraq and in Ashkenazi Jews from Poland disclosed a similarity between the three groups in Rh, ADA, GLO, PGM1 and HP. The frequencies for the above systems in the three groups were closer to those of Middle Easterners than to those of Europeans. A different pattern was observed for GC and PI, in which Bulgarian resembled Polish Jews and differed significantly from Iraqi Jews. This probably reflects an outcome of convergent adaptive processes.

Factor VII in plasma of women taking oral contraceptives. Lack of cold activation under blood bank conditions.

Factor VII in plasma from about 15 percent of healthy subjects undergoes activation when samples are kept in plastic tubes at 4 degrees C. In women taking oral contraceptives, this phenomenon is observed much more frequently. If this phenomenon occurred under blood bank conditions as well, the transfusion of such plasma from donors taking oral contraceptives to patients afflicted by trauma could enhance thromboembolism. Plasma packs of 72 female donors taking oral contraceptives were separated and stored at 4 degrees C for 24 hours in the blood bank. No significant change in factor VII:C level was observed: The initial level was 110.2 +/- 6.2 U per dl (mean +/- SEM), and the 24-hour level, 97 +/- 3.3 U per dl. Among the 72 donors, 10 were identified as cold activators; their factor VII:C level increased from 85.6 +/- 2.5 U per dl (mean +/- SEM) to 222.0 +/- 7.5 U per dl when their plasma samples were kept in plastic tubes for 24 hours at 4 degrees C. In contrast, the factor VII:C level in the plasma packs kept simultaneously in the blood bank at 4 degrees C was only 101.1 +/- 9.0 U per dl at 24 hours. Thus, it appears that plasma from donors taking oral contraceptives can be used safely even when they are not frozen immediately.

PIP: Factor 7 in plasma from 15% of healthy subjects undergoes activation when samples are kept in plastic tubes at 4 degrees Celsius. In women taking oral contraceptives (OCs), this phenomenon is observed more frequently. If this phenomenon occurred under blood bank conditions as well, the transfusion of such plasma from donors taking OCs to patients afflicted by trauma could enhance thromboembolism. Plasma pavks of 72 female donors taking OCs were separated and stored at 4 degrees Celsius for 24 hours in the blood bank. No significant change in factor VII:C level was observed; the initial level was 110.2 +or- 6.2 U/dl (mean +or- SEM), and the 24 hour level was 97 +or- 3.3 U/dl. Among the 72 donors, 10 were identified as cold activators; their factor VII:C level increased from 85.6 +or- 2.5 U/dl (mean +or- SEM) to 222.0 +or- 7.5 U/dl when their plasma samples were kept in plastic tubes for 24 hours at 4 degrees Celsius. In contrast, the factor VII:C level in the plasma packs kept simultaneously in the blood bank at 4 degrees Celsius was only 101.1 +or- 9.0 U/dl at 24 hours. Thus, it appears that plasma from donors taking OCs can be used safely even when not frozen immediately.

Cold-promoted activation of factor VII: is It a problem under blood bank conditions?

Transfusion of blood or plasma kept at 4 degrees C for 12-14 h could be hazardous since about 15% of plasmas from healthy donors undergo cold activation of factor VII under such conditions. In this study we were unable to demonstrate in plasma from 209 healthy donors a significant rise in mean factor VII level after storage of plasma in the blood bank bags at 4 degrees C for 24 h. The blood bank unfavorable conditions for cold activation of factor VII were manifested in the plasma from a known cold activator whose plasma underwent cold activation in a plastic test tube while in the blood bank bag it did not. The lack of cold activation observed in blood bank versus laboratory conditions did not stem from differences in anticoagulant, in speed of centrifugation, in proportion anticoagulant-blood or in the plastic ware; it appeared to stem from differences in the ratio between plasma volume and surface of the containers used in the blood bank versus the laboratory. Since plasma factor VII from 3 out of 16 women taking contraceptives became activated in the cold even at relatively small surface exposure it seems advisable to separate and freeze as fast as possible plasma components from blood donated by women on contraceptives.

Hepatitis A antibody in Israel Defence Forces recruits.

Sera drawn from a sample of 1,147 military inductees, representative of the conscript population entering service in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), in 1977, were examined by radioimmunoassay for hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibody. The prevalence of HAV antibody is considerably higher in males of Eastern origin (84.4%) than of Western origins (39.7%) and in females of Eastern origin (79.9%) as compared with those of Western origin (30.3%). The difference between males and females is not statistically significant when level of education is controlled. An inverse association between years of schooling and HAV antibodies is evident both for males and females, but is stronger in Westerners than Easterners. These findings have implications for HAV prevention in the IDF.

Ethnic communities in Israel: the genetic blood markers of the Babylonian Jews.

One hundred eighty-eight Jewish individuals who either they or whose both parents were born in Iraq were typed for 7 blood groups (ABO, MNS, Rh, Kell, Duffy, P and Kidd), 12 red cell enzyme systems and 2 serum proteins. Iraqi Jews are characterized by a high frequency of A (in ABO), N (in MNS), low cde (Rh) and low Hp-1. Several rare electrophoretic variants were encountered: PGM1 6-1, PHI 3-1 and PHI 2-1, and an unidentified AK phenotype. No evidence of Negroid admixture was found in their gene pool. Comparisons with results previously obtained in Iraqi Jews show general similarities in frequencies while comparisons with neighboring non-Jewish populations suggest divergence in most systems investigated. The difficulties of assessing relationships on the basis of a few selected differences and the need for careful interpretations of similarities are emphasized.

Ethnic communities in Israel: the genetic blood markers of the Moroccan Jews.

One hundred and ninety-six Moroccan Jews now settled in Israel were typed for 7 blood groups, 12 red cell enzymes and 2 plasma protein systems. Their blood group picture is in agreement with results previously obtained on different samples of Moroccan Jews: rather high B in ABO, somewhat elevated frequencies of cDe and cDE in Rh and K in Kell. Differences in various blood markers exist between them and other North African Jewish communities. This fact, together with data on disease distribution and HLA frequencies, supports our assumption that Jews in the North African diaspora lived as small secluded isolates even within the same geographical zones. Comparisons with meager data on the neighboring non-Jewish populations do not disclose any resemblance to either Arab or Berber inhabitants of Morocco.