Hepatitis C News

SEATTLE — A small pilot study of hepatitis C treatment in pregnant women found that their response to ledipasvir-sofosbuvir therapy is similar to the viral response observed in nonpregnant individuals and identified no safety concerns associated with treatment, according to findings presented at CROI.

Long-term surveillance among men who have sex with men with HIV after clearance of hepatitis C may be warranted as reinfection rates remain high and continue to occur more than 11 years after clearance regardless of treatment, according to a study presented at CROI.

The rates of hepatitis C incidence among men who have sex with men with HIV has significantly decreased in London since the epidemic peak in 2015, coinciding with wider access to direct-acting antiviral therapy, according to data presented at CROI.

SEATTLE — A recent analysis found that IV drug use and hepatitis C virus infection were the best predictors of incident syphilis among women with HIV.

Hepatitis C virus-negative candidates who receive transplants with HCV-infected hearts experience acceptable outcomes and high cure rates, according to recently published study findings.

As a fourth-year medical student at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, I did an elective rotation with Dr. John Greene at Moffitt Cancer Center. I was awestruck as I saw the fellows and Dr. Greene make incredible diagnoses based on details from the patients’ histories. We conversed with radiologists, pathologists, other internal medicine subspecialists and surgeons; a constant busy mission to determine what kind of infections patients had. Their knowledge was superior, having to understand different cultures, practices and hobbies that could lead to the diagnosis. I witnessed the way that the infectious disease physicians conversed with others; their pleasant demeanor toward patients and staff was infectious. Most compelling of all was the microbiology lab, where you came face to face with your patients’ foes: Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Fusarium, Cryptosporidium, etc. This to me was the defining moment: looking into the viewing ocular pieces of the microscope to view something that was a millionth our size and had the potential to cause incredible pathologic havoc. This experience, which I also had during my internal medicine residency, is what led me to my interest in host-pathogen responses and to choose a career in infectious diseases.

Researchers determined a target limit of detection for hepatitis C point-of-care tests that would identify 97% of viremic infections among all populations including low- and middle-income countries, according to a recently published study.

Study findings showed a higher prevalence of HIV among women who inject drugs compared with men, and researchers recommended developing gender-sensitive harm reduction services.

Study findings showed that traditional risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension and chronic hepatitis C virus infection “contribute greatly” to disease in adults living with HIV, and eliminating them is “essential” to the health of these patients, researchers reported in The Lancet HIV.

Results of a prospective study showed that treatment with direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C correlated with significantly reduced risks for hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality, according to a study published in The Lancet.