An epidemic caused by SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has appeared in Wuhan City in December 2019. The disease has shown a "clustering epidemic" pattern, and family-clustered onset has been the main characteristic. We collected data about 130 cases from 35 cluster-onset families (COFs) and 41 cases from 16 solitary-onset families (SOFs). The incidence of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in COFs was significantly higher than that of SOFs. Our study also showed that patients with exposure to high-risk factors (respiratory droplets and close contact), advanced age, and comorbidities were more likely to develop COVID-19 in the COFs. In addition, advanced age and elevated neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were risk factors for death in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the COFs.

BackgroundPrevious studies have revealed that hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) levels vary throughout the different phases of treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and can be used as a predictor of treatment response in both interferon-α and nucleoside analogue therapies. However, few data have been published regarding the relationship between quantitative anti-HBc (qAnti-HBc) levels and liver fibrosis in patients with CHB.ResultsA total of 489 HBeAg-positive (HBeAg (+)) and 135 HBeAg-negative (HBeAg (−)) patients were recruited. In both HBeAg (+) and HBeAg (−) groups, the S0−1/S0 subjects had significantly lower qAnti-HBc levels than the S2−4 subjects (p < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the parameters for predicting significant fibrosis (S ≥ 2) included age, PLT and qAnti-HBc. In HBeAg (+) subjects, the AUROC of qAnti-HBc for predicting significant fibrosis was 0.734 (95% CI 0.689 to 0.778) and the optimal cut-off was 4.58 log10IU/mL, with a sensitivity of 63.08% and a specificity of 74.83%. In HBeAg (−) subjects, the AUROC was 0.707 (95% CI 0.612 to 0.801) and the optimal cut-off value was 4.37 log10IU/mL, with a sensitivity of 75.53% and a specificity of 56.10%.Materials and MethodsFrom 2012 to 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional study of treatment-naïve CHB patients. Liver biochemistry, hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological markers, HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) titers and HBV genotype were determined using commercial assays, and serum qAnti-HBc levels were measured using double-sandwich immunoassay. Liver biopsies and serum samples were obtained on the same day.ConclusionsThe present study showed an association between high serum qAnti-HBc levels and significant fibrosis (S ≥ 2) in treatment-naïve CHB patients. Furthermore, we described a serum qAnti-HBc cut-off for predicting significant fibrosis in CHB patients infected with HBV genotype B or C.

No abstract

No abstract