Objective To compare the efifcacy of peginterferon alfa-2a (PEGASYS) plus ribavirin (RBV) with interferon alfa-2a plus RBV, and evaluate the safety. Methods Total of 117 patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled to receive either PEGASYS (135 μg or 180 μg) subcutaneously once per week, plus RBV (800 mg-1 200 mg) per day for 48 weeks (79 patients, PEGASYS group), or 5 million units of interferon alfa-2a subcutaneously every other day, plus RBV as above dosage for 48 weeks (38 patients, IFNα group). Results Sixty-three of 79 (79.7%) patients reached sustained virological response (SVR) in PEGASYS group, while 14 of 38 (36.8%) patients reached SVR in IFNα group. PEGASYS group was associated with a higher rate of virologic response than IFNα group at week 4, 12, 36, 48 and week 72. Sustained normalization of serum ALT concentrations at week 36, 48 and week 72 was also more common in PEGASYS group than in IFNα group. Baseline levels of ALT and HCV RNA had no effect on SVR in either PEGASYS group or IFNαgroup. Both groups were similar in the frequency and severity of adverse events. Conclusions PEGASYS plus RBV produced similar adverse events but higher rate of SVR. Meanwhile, complications should be prevented and treated promptly in order to increase compliances and effects.

Background and Aims Recently, epidemiology studies of hepatitis E in different areas are attracted more attention. Extensive studies of prevalent status and clinical manifestations could help us to broaden our knowledge, so as to excellently prevent and treat hepatitis E. The study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and clinical features of 394 cases of sporadic acute hepatitis E (AHE) in Southwest of China from 2008 to 2010. Methods The clinical data of 394 cases with sporadic AHE in Southwest of China from 2008 to 2010 were reviewed. Results In the 394 cases with sporadic AHE, the ratio of male/female was 1.432∶1, and the mean age was (31.53 ± 18.12) years. Totally, 94 (23.86%) patients aged under 18, 271 (68.78%) patients aged between 18 and 60, and 29 (7.36%) patients aged above 60. The incidence rate was signiifcantly increased in summer (P = 0.000), especially in May (14.72%) and July (13.71%). In addition, the characteristics of occupation and ethnic group distribution were migrant laborers (106/394, 26.90%) and Han people (365/394, 92.64%). The length of stay, incidence of jaundice, the peak value of total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase in male patients were all higher than those in female patients signiifcantly (P < 0.05). The prolonged length of stay, decreased levels of ALT/ALB/CHE, increased levels of TBil, and increased incidence of jaundice and fatigue were associated with older age signiifcantly (P < 0.05). The differences in peak values of total bilirubin (TBil), total bile acid (TBA), glutamyltransferase (GGT), cholinesterase (CHE) between AHE group and the groups of AHE accompanied respectively by chronic hepatitis B (CHB), acute alcoholic fatty liver (AFL), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were signiifcant (P<0.05). In addition, no signiifcant difference was found in length of stay and biochemical indexes among anti-HEV-IgG positive group, anti-HEV-IgM positive group and anti-HEV-IgM/IgG both positive group (P>0.05). Conclusions Four epidemiological characteristics, including aged between 18 and 60, male, summer and migrant laborers, are found to be associated with acute hepatitis E. The prognosis of AHE in the majority of patients was favorable, but aged above 60 years and coexistence with CHB, AFL and NAFLD could be considerede as the factors inducing the infaust prognosis.

Background Military recruits are at a higher risk of acute respiratory disease (ARD) and the causative agents might change over time, which needs to be investigated. Methods The nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples were consecutively collected from conscripts for three years in a military training center. The real-time lfuorescent quantitative PCR assays were conducted for 15 species of common respiratory pathogens; the serum anti-Legionella pneumophila antibodies were detected by indirect immunolfuorescence (IIF) assay, and serum anti-Microplasma pneumoniae antibodies, serum anti-in-lfuenza B virus and anti-inlfuenza A virus-IgM and IgG were detected by ELISA. Results The prevalences of ARD were 59.3% (108/182) in 2008, 23.3% (50/215) in 2009,and 19.6% (40/204) in 2010. Among the patients with ARD from 2008 to 2010, the inlfuenza B virus infection accounted for 45.4%, 30.0% and 55.0%, and seasonal inlfuenza A virus infection for 8.3%, 8.0% and 5.0%, respectively; the positive rates of serum anti-Legionella pneumophila and anti-Microplasma pneumoniae antibodies in recruits was lower than 10% each year respectively in the three years without diagnostic signiifcance. Conclusion The early appropriate diagnosis and treatment of ARD in military personnel will ensure the power strength of armed forces.

Objective To investigate the differences of clinical and biochemical characteristics between patients with liver cirrhosis induced by HBV infection combined with and without mild alcohol intake. Methods Data of patients with liver cirrhosis who were hospitalized in the First Hospital Afifliated to Xinjiang Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: patients with liver cirrhosis induced by HBV infection and combined with mild alcohol intake, patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, and patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis. Biochemical detections including liver function, fasting lipid proifles, lipoprotein, kidney function, glucose, uric acid and regular blood tests were carried out and results were compared among three groups. Data were analyzed through STATA software and co-variant analysis. Results Total of 2 350 patients with liver cirrhosis were included, 732 patients had cirrhosis induced by HBV infection combined with mild alcohol intake, 1 316 patients had HBV-related liver cirrhosis, 302 patients had alcohol-related cirrhosis. The highest mean level of white cell count, mean corpuscular volume,γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and uric acid were observed in HBV infection combined with mild alcohol intake group. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that HBV infection, excessive alcohol intake, male and age were risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Conclusions HBV infection combined with mild alcoholic-related liver cirrhosis group showed the highest oxidative stress compared with alcoholic liver cirrhosis group, which suggested that mild alcohol intake may increase the incidence of liver cirrhosis in HBV infected patients and may not increase the incidence of HCC.

ObjectivesTo investigate the clinical features of tuberculosis (TB)-associated immune reconstitution inlfammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) in patients co-infected with HIV/TB or latent infection during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods HIV-infected patients treated in the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, China between March 2012 and March 2013 were recruited, and divided into 3 groups: 1) HIV/TB co-infection group (n = 50), 2) HIV/MTB latent infection group (n = 50), and 3) HIV infection group (n = 50), with 12-month follow-up. Patients in the HIV/TB co-infection group were treated with HAART 2 weeks after TB therapy. Patients were assessed at different time-points. ResultsThe incidence and mortality rates of TB-IRIS were 40% and 10% in the HIV/TB co-infected patients, and 2% (and no mortality) in the HIV/MTB group. The HIV infected group did not display TB-IRIS or death. About 95% HIV/TB co-infected patients were 20-39 years old when TB-IRIS occurred, and 65% of the patients developed TB-IRIS 2 weeks after HAART. For the co-infection group, those with TB-IRIS (20/20, 100%) had fever, with a signiifcantly higher incidence than those who did not develop TB-IRIS (6.7%, 2/30,P < 0.05). The patients with TB-IRIS in co-infection group displayed markedly higher clinical biochemical markers, acute phase reactants, increased CD4+ cell counts, and 2 log10-decreases of HIV RNA loads, compared with the patients not presenting with TB-IRIS (P < 0.05). Conclusion HIV/TB co-infected patients presented with a high-risk of developing TB-IRIS during HAART treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment could decrease mortality rates in TB-IRIS.

This paper reviews the recentHelicobacter infection associated with chronic liver disease. The bacteriology, prevalence, pathogenesis and diagnosis were reviewed. Future work should be conducted on the pathogenesis and treatment of this disease.

Intestinal barrier dysfunction, facilitating translocation of bacteria and bacterial products, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of liver cirrhosis and its complications. Intestinal defense system including microbial barrier, immunologic barrier, mechanical barrier, chemical barrier, plays an important role in the maintenance of intestinal function. Under normal circumstances, the intestinal barrier can prevent intestinal bacteria through the intestinal wall from spreading to the body. Severe infection, trauma, shock, cirrhosis, malnutrition, immune suppression conditions, intestinal bacteria and endotoxin translocation, can lead to multiple organ dysfunction. The intestinal microlfora is not only involved in the digestion of nutrients, but also in local immunity, forming a barrier against pathogenic microorganisms. The derangement of the gut microlfora may lead to microbial translocation, deifned as the passage of viable microorganisms or bacterial products from the intestinal lumen to the mesenteric lymph nodes and other extraintestinal sites. In patients with cirrhosis, primary and intestinal lfora imbalance, intestinal bacterial overgrowth, intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction, endotoxemia is associated with weakened immunity.