Hepatitis C News

A new hepatitis C virus finger-stick test can be used to diagnose infection in a single clinical visit, delivering results in 1 hour, according to researchers.

Recently published data showed that treatment outcomes did not differ between 8 weeks and 12 weeks of Harvoni among black patients with hepatitis C, contrary to guideline recommendations.

Longitudinal study findings showed that frontal cortical volume shortages in adults with alcohol dependence accelerated age-dependent decline, and the negative effect is compounded by drug dependence or hepatitis C virus infection comorbidity.

Recently published data showed no association between direct-acting antiviral therapy and an increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence among liver transplantation candidates with hepatitis C who experienced initial complete response to local-regional therapy.

BOSTON — In this video, Christine M. Durand, MD, a transplant infectious diseases specialist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discusses the potential of using organs from donors with HIV or hepatitis C virus infection to address an “organ shortage crisis” in the United States.

Most patients with HIV who become infected with hepatitis C will not clear the infection spontaneously and face a chronic course, according to a study presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, also known as CROI. The researchers advocate for amended direct-acting drug labels and guidelines to allow usage of DAA therapy during the acute phase of HCV in high-risk individuals.

In Switzerland, men who have sex with men from other countries likely account for about one-quarter acute hepatitis C infections, according to a study presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, also known as CROI. The researchers recommend joint European scale-up schemes for DAA therapy.

Treatment with the direct-acting antiviral Zepatier for 8 weeks showed high efficacy among HIV-positive men who have sex with men infected with acute hepatitis C, according to study results presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, also known as CROI.

Since its launch in 2016, a hepatitis C elimination program in Iceland has treated approximately 56% to 70% of the estimated viremic population with direct-acting antivirals, according to a recently published update.

Hepatitis C eradication by direct-acting antivirals improved carotid atherosclerosis in patients with severe fibrosis regardless of the presence of additional metabolic risk factors, according to recently published data.