Viral Hepatitis News

Chronic liver disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, independent of liver cancer. According to the CDC, only 1.8% of adult Americans have a diagnosis of chronic liver disease, which translates to 4.5 million people.

Primary care providers and other specialists often refer patients to gastroenterologists with any liver-related health concerns, as they are the first touch point for newly diagnosed patients or those living with chronic liver disease.

The FDA has granted fast track designation to GSK’s bepirovirsen, a triple action investigational antisense oligonucleotide, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection, according to a manufacturer release.

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection was positively linked with severe hepatic necroinflammation in children with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease but did not appear to affect hepatic fibrosis, according to data.

As viral hepatitis continues to be a major health concern in the infectious disease field, recent research has highlighted the importance of testing and treatment.

A test-and-treat model for hepatitis C virus infection among injection drug users and people experiencing homelessness resulted in high levels of treatment initiation, completion and cure, and may expand care access to marginalized groups.

Tenofovir disoproxil improved long-term overall and recurrence-free survival rates compared with entecavir among patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection.

Nearly twice as many hepatitis A virus-related deaths were reported in the United States from 2016 to 2022 compared with the previous 6 years, with individuals who use drugs or experience homelessness and unstable housing most at risk.

BOSTON — Every year, approximately 100,000 people are on waitlists for organ transplants, but only a small fraction find suitable donors, according to Emily Blumberg, MD, FIDSA, director of transplant infectious diseases at Penn Medicine.

Alcohol use at initiation of direct-acting antiviral treatment was not associated with reduced odds for achieving sustained virologic response among veterans with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to data in JAMA Network Open.