If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering the major hepatitis viruses.
Hepatitis A virus vaccine provides protective antibody levels 20 years after childhood vaccination, according to a study of Alaska Native persons.
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Outcome measures that reflect the entire cycle of hepatitis care are needed to assist both clinicians and administrators in improving quality and value of care, according to an analysis in Hepatology.
Prophylactic antiviral therapy management is necessary for hepatitis B surface antigen–positive breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a recent study revealed, in spite of high correlation with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus variants with tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate motif-mutations.
According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody–positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV-positive donor organs and HIV-positive recipients.
The proportion of anti-HCV–positive patients in Poland decreased from 2004 to 2014, according to a study reported in Eurosurveillance.
A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors are controlled for.
Hepatitis A virus vaccination had increased effectiveness for postexposure prophylaxis in HA outbreaks, similar to that of immunoglobulin, and offered long-term protection, according to a study in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. The authors said the result supports the preferential use of vaccination to avoid secondary cases.
Hepatitis C virus subtype 3b and 6a subepidemics in China are currently not under control, according to a report in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis, and new epidemic waves may emerge given the rapid increase in international travel.
Strong, consistent evidence exists that Western health professionals miss opportunities for hepatitis B virus testing and vaccination of Chinese migrant populations, a recent study revealed.
New research shows that laboratory of genetics and physiology 2, a retinoic acid–inducible gene I–like receptor, plays an essential role in hepatitis C virus infection–induced interferon responses.
A study in Hepatology revealed that the hepatitis C virus uses the protein NS5B to specifically suppress the tumor suppressor NORE1A, facilitating viral replication and elevated Ras signaling.
Combined hepatitis A and B vaccine could stimulate both high level of anti-hepatitis A and anti-hepatitis Bs antibodies and not increase adverse events, a recent study revealed, providing a new choice for hepatitis B booster.
A study in Hepatology reports that proanthocyanidin, an oligomeric flavonoid, and its analogs represent a new class of anti-hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein. These agents could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.
Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.
A Lancet study found that one administration of RG-101, a hepatocyte targeted N-acetylgalactosamine conjugated anti–miR-122 oligonucleotide, was well tolerated and resulted in substantial viral load reduction in all treated patients within 4 weeks, and sustained virologic response in three patients for 76 weeks.
A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.
A liver biopsy and antiviral therapy should be strongly considered when treating hepatitis B e antigen–positive patients with a normal or minimally elevated ALT level, low HBV DNA level, and age greater than 35 years, according to a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis.
Serum long intergenic noncoding RNA-p21 could serve as a potential biomarker of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients, according to a Chinese study.
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