Hepatitis

A 2022 outbreak of unexplained acute severe hepatitis in children has been linked to a strain of adeno-associated virus 2, supporting the theory that disease pathogenesis results from viral coinfection, according to data reported in Nature.

Hepatitis C virus among the U.S. obstetric population rose nearly 10-fold over 20 years, which might reflect an increase in screening or prevalence, according to researchers.

The CDC has updated its guidance for hepatitis B testing for the first time since 2008 and now recommends that all adults in the U.S. be tested for HBV at least once in their lifetime.

Hepatitis C reinfection rates were high among a population of people who had experienced homelessness but increased even more among those experiencing homelessness at the time of treatment, researchers found.

SEATTLE — The effort to find a cure for hepatitis B faces steep challenges, Anna Suk-Fong Lok, MD, told Healio after her plenary presentation at the Conference for Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

Testing for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C increased among U.S. Medicaid enrollees initiating treatment for opioid use disorder. However, a recent study showed approximately three-quarters of enrollees were not tested for each condition.

WASHINGTON — Active IV or prescription drug use did not affect attainment of sustained virologic response when treatment adherence for hepatitis C virus was already variable, according to a poster presented at The Liver Meeting.

Since April 2022, more than 1,300 children in 35 countries have developed acute severe hepatitis of unknown etiology, with the United States and the United Kingdom accounting for 65% of global cases, according to recent WHO data.

The Liver Meeting 2022 delivered the latest research and developments on a variety of topics, including acute hepatitis in children, treatment for hepatitis-related cirrhosis and liver disease mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON — Although well-established and effective treatment protocols exist for most patients with hepatitis C virus infection, a presenter at The Liver Meeting said uncertainty remains when treating pregnant people with HCV.