11.   Their diagnostic relevance, however, has been questioned recently following the detection of signs of hepatitis C virus infection in autoimmune chronic hepatitis patients.

12.   Clinical and biochemical parameters are reported in Table I. Hepatitis B virus infection was excluded on the basis of radioimmunoassay negativity for serological markers.

13.   Of particular interest is the relationship between autoimmune chronic hepatitis and hepatitis C virus infection.

14.   This rules out the possibility that autoantibodies are merely a consequence of hepatitis C virus infection.

15.   Environmental factors that have received most attention include nutritional status and past or present hepatitis B virus infection.

16.   In addition, sections of liver tissues from patients without serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection were stained using the identical techniques as negative controls.

17.   The mechanism responsible for secretion or intracellular retention of pre-S peptides in chronic hepatitis B virus infection is uncertain.

18.   This technique has been successfully used in our laboratory for the identification of B virus DNA in previous cases of fatal B virus infection.

19.   These events have underscored the importance of using PCR and other techniques that will readily identify herpes B virus infections.

20.   A stunning new discovery about the nature of AIDS virus infections is leading scientists to re-think their strategies for fighting the virus.