Hepatitis C Weekly News

Telemedicine Expands Access to HCV Treatment for Underserved Populations
“Telemedicine has become a valuable tool in expanding access to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, particularly for underserved populations, according to study results published in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis.”

Trends in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mortality Rates in the US and Projections Through 2040
“Findings  In this cross-sectional study of 188 280 HCC-related deaths, ASMRs increased from 2006 to 2022 and were projected to continue rising until 2040, primarily due to increased deaths from alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); deaths from viral hepatitis were under control and were projected to decrease. Large disparities were observed in HCC-related ASMRs by age, sex, and race and ethnicity.”

A Clinical Algorithm for Screening Compensated Advanced Chronic Liver Disease Utilizing Ultrasonography, Platelet Count, and Albumin Levels, With Transient Elastography as Reference
“Conclusions: USG alone has limited reliability in diagnosing cACLD but is valuable for ruling out advanced fibrosis in asymptomatic patients due to its high NPV. Adding platelet and albumin levels improves diagnostic accuracy, though TE remains essential for definitive diagnosis. This approach may streamline screening and optimize resource use, particularly in settings with limited TE access. USG combined with platelet count and serum albumin offers a cost-effective, accessible, and practical solution for the initial assessment of cACLD. Further studies are needed to validate these findings in broader populations.”

Investigational Combination Hepatitis C Therapy Demonstrates a 97% Sustained Virologic Response
“At the ongoing The Liver Meeting in San Diego, Atea Pharmaceuticals has presented posters about the company’s investigational antiviral combination of bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir, which is being studied for potential hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. In one of the posters, the combination therapy achieved a 97% sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12) in a phase 2 lead-in cohort. According to the investigators, the analysis supports a short 8-week treatment with bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir for chronic HCV.”

Scientists Fear What’s Next for Public Health if RFK Jr. Is Allowed To ’Go Wild’
“Many scientists at the federal health agencies await the second Donald Trump administration with dread as well as uncertainty over how the president-elect will reconcile starkly different philosophies among the leaders of his team. Trump announced Thursday he’ll nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, after saying during his campaign he’d let the anti-vaccine activist “go wild” on medicines, food, and health.”

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Global launch of The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission on viral hepatitis

Study Finds Most Children with Hep C have Developmental Disorder, Learning Difficulty
“Key Takeaways: A study found 62% of children with chronic HCV had neurodevelopmental disorders, with ADHD being the most common. Rising HCV-positive pregnancies, primarily due to vertical transmission, contribute to increased chronic HCV in children.”

Research shows low vaccination rates for hepatitis A and B in men who have sex with men
“Research analyzing European survey data from 113,884 men who have sex with men (MSM) and published in Eurosurveillance indicates that while most MSM have a basic understanding of viral hepatitis, only 44% report having been vaccinated against both hepatitis A and B. The data highlight notable immunisation gaps despite available vaccination and recommendations. Strong public health support and creating an open environment that enables MSM to follow recommendations will be crucial to reduce outbreaks among MSM and eliminate hepatitis B.”

Study finds high hepatitis C rates among opioid overdose patients
“New research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine indicates that accidental opioid overdose patients in central Missouri have high rates of hepatitis C infections, despite only 40% of patients having a history of testing.”

Effectiveness of sofosbuvir-based treatments for patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 6 infection: a real-world study from East China
“Conclusions: SOF-based treatments achieved high virological and biochemical response rates in patients with HCV GT 6 infection.”

Hepatitis C Reinfection Rates Drop for Drug Users Over Time
“Hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection rates among people who inject drugs are high immediately after treatment in community settings, particularly among those reporting recent injection drug use and sharing of injection paraphernalia, but they decrease significantly over time.”

Survey Highlights Critical Role of Pharmacists in HCV Management
“Key Takeaways: Pharmacists are integral to HCV management, involved in screening, treatment evaluation, and patient education across various healthcare settings. The survey found pharmacists often independently select HCV treatment regimens and provide on-treatment or post-treatment monitoring.”

Emergency Department HCV Screening May Reduce Potential Hepatic Complications, Lower Costs
“Key Takeaways: Emergency department-based HCV screenings are cost-effective, reducing hepatic complications and long-term treatment costs. The study used a decision-analytic Markov model with a 30-year time horizon to simulate HCV screening and progression.”

Severance Hospital’s AI software identifies high-risk patients after cure of chronic hepatitis C
“Researchers at Severance Hospital have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of identifying high-risk patients who may develop severe complications, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, following the successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C.”

Targeting a specific gene could be key to treating hepatitis B, C and D
“Chronic viral hepatitis is the long-term inflammation of the liver. It is caused by hepatitis B, C or D virus particles. Even though these viruses replicate differently, they all use the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway for replication, where the TM5SF2 gene is located.”

Efficacy of 8-week daclatasvir-sofosbuvir regimen in chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review and meta-analysis
“The high rates of the sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) in real world settings provoked the adoption of shortened courses of the costly direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) regimens. This study provides, to our knowledge, the first systematic review and meta-analysis for the efficacy of the shortened 8-week course of sofosbuvir (SOF) plus daclatasvir (DCV), the most accessible DAAs in the low-middle income countries (LMICs).”

35 Health Advocacy Groups Urge the Supreme Court to Protect Preventive Care
“[On October 21] 35 organizations, representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and thousands of health care professionals, filed an amicus curiae, or “friend-of-the-court,” brief in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra at the U.S. Supreme Court. The amicus brief supports the government’s petition for certiorari in the case, providing extensive scientific data demonstrating that preventive services save lives and are cost-effective. At the crux of the case is a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires most insurers cover preventive services recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) without cost-sharing by patients.”

Minicircle-based vaccine induces potent T-cell and antibody responses against hepatitis C virus
“An effective vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) should elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses.”

Use of Hepatitis C Viremic Donors to Expand the Pediatric Donor Pool
“The use of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive donors in organ transplantation has become increasingly viable due to advancements in direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies, which offer high cure rates. This review aims to evaluate the current practices, benefits, and challenges of utilizing HCV-positive donors for organ transplantation.”

HCV Prevalence Is Linked to Age, Drug Use Patterns in Men Who Have Sex With Men
“Among HIV-negative men who have sex with men who reported non-injection drug use, those who were aged 42 and older and used multiple drugs had a greater likelihood of hepatitis C infection.”

A Large-Scale Screening of Hepatitis C Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Community Using Saliva Point-of-Care Testing
“Conclusion: The point-of-care strategy on the street using a quick oral self-test at massive MSM events is feasible, well-accepted, and quick, and may be a useful strategy to reach other populations at risk of HCV infection”

Phil Lesh, founding member of the Grateful Dead and influential bassist, dies at 84
“”Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead, passed peacefully this morning. He was surrounded by his family and full of love. Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love,” the Instagram statement reads in part.”

Ohio State study finds donor livers are underutilized; more lives can be saved with hepatitis C-positive livers
“New research from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Comprehensive Transplant Center finds transplant centers can safely raise the number of liver transplants by increasing the use of livers from hepatitis C-positive donors or from donation after circulatory death. The study, published in the journal Transplantation, found short-term patient outcomes aren’t compromised by using livers from these donor groups.”

Digestive Health Specialist of St. Joseph spreading awareness during Liver Disease Awareness Month
“(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) While most people think of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October also marks Liver Disease Awareness Month as well. With liver disease increasing instead of decreasing, Digestive Health Specialist of St. Joseph is spreading awareness about why it’s important to get routine screenings and making sure that your liver health is in order.”

Chicago Marathon Runner Finishes Race Cancer-Free and With New Liver
“One year after delaying a liver transplant to run the 2023 Chicago Marathon, Batbayar Tserendorj has a new liver, is cancer-free and completed the 2024 race, according to Northwestern Medicine (NM). Last year, Tserendorj then age 60, was living with liver cancer and on the waiting list for a new liver. He had been diagnosed with liver cancer in early 2023, likely caused by chronic hepatitis B and D infections, according to Northwestern Medicine.”

Endoscopies at Vanderbilt exposed patients to HIV, hepatitis C
“Nashville-based Vanderbilt Health is notifying patients that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV as a result of botched endoscopy procedures performed at a clinic located on the hospital’s main campus.”

Coincidence of HCV and chronic kidney disease-a systematic review and meta-analysis
“Conclusions – We found a strong correlation between HCV infection and a higher risk of chronic renal disease in general global population.”

UB researchers advocate for continuing fewer rules for telemedicine
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government loosened regulations that govern the use of telemedicine for patients, which are set to expire on Dec 31. With a few months to go, an extension is possible. Some UB researchers and clinicians believe that returning to pre-pandemic restrictions would have a profoundly negative impact on health care.”

Study Identifies Risk Factors for Liver Enzyme Elevation Following Hepatitis C Virologic Cure
“Key Takeaways – Higher pretreatment ALT and cirrhosis increase liver enzyme elevation risk in HCV patients post-virologic response. Male sex is linked to reduced odds of liver enzyme elevation after HCV treatment.”

With October Being Liver Awareness Month, an Opportunity to Acknowledge This Essential Organ
“It is time to celebrate researchers’ amazing identification of our the body’s big secret—liver cells! These silent miraculous unrecognized liver cells have been hiding inside our noncomplaining, liver.”

Pharmacy-Based Services Combat SUD, HIV, STI Syndemic-Related Harms
“Pharmacies can play a crucial role in access to care by providing harm reduction, sexually transmitted infection (STI), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) services, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. The findings show that by offering patient incentives, pharmacies can increase testing and detection of infectious diseases among individuals who might not otherwise seek care.”

HCV Transmission: What Are the Trends in HCV Without Injection Drug Use?
“Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among individuals without a history of injection drug use (IDU) is “sizeable” despite the higher HCV rates among those with a history of IDU, according to study findings published in Liver International. The primary mode of HCV transmission is through IDU. However, transmission can occur in the absence of IDU, through sexual contact, household contact, occupational exposure, and dialysis or transfusion, among other means.”

HCV Linked to Increased Risk of Peripheral Artery Disease in Hemodialysis Patients
“Key Takeaways – HCV infection in ESRD patients on hemodialysis is linked to increased PAD risk, indicated by elevated baPWV levels. Higher HCV viral loads and genotype 1 are significantly associated with increased PAD risk in these patients.”

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First-Hand Insights into Treating Hepatitis C in Pregnancy
“At IDWeek, the session “Should HCV Be Treated in Pregnant Persons?” featured Catherine Chappell, MD, MSc, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Chappell, an obstetrician-gynecologist with training in reproductive infectious disease, family planning, and addiction medicine, discussed ongoing studies on direct-acting antivirals for treating hepatitis C in pregnancy.”

DOH Report Finds Earlier Death Associated with Hepatitis C
“HONOLULU – As part of Liver Cancer Awareness Month in October, the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has released a report that found hepatitis C was associated with death at an earlier age in Hawaiʻi. “Premature Deaths and Disparities Associated with Hepatitis C: The Hawaiʻi Hepatitis C Mortality Report,” analyzed mortality data from 2000 to 2021 to understand the burden of hepatitis C infections on local communities. The findings will guide efforts to improve liver health and reduce preventable deaths.

This novel report was the first comprehensive analysis of hepatitis C death data for Hawaiʻi. The most important findings from the report include: People with hepatitis C die at a younger age than the general population. Most (88 percent) Hawaiʻi residents with hepatitis C-related deaths did not reach age 75, which was lower than the U.S. life expectancy in 2021. Many deaths occur before retirement age. Among Hawaiʻi residents with hepatitis C-associated deaths, more than 40 percent died before the average retirement age of 65 years (as compared to 23 percent for all causes of death). Progress is being made. Hepatitis C death rates were lower than the national average from 2017 to 2020, with 2.63 deaths per 100,000 in Hawaiʻi compared to 3.45 per 100,000 in the U.S. in 2020. However, disparities in death rates were observed for male and white residents in Hawaiʻi.

Revealing disparities in hepatitis C care for reproductive-aged women to break cycle of viral transmission
“Most pediatric cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are perinatal, meaning the virus is transmitted from birthing parent to child during pregnancy or birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If left untreated, hepatitis C infection can lead to worse outcomes later in life, such as chronic liver disease, liver failure, and liver cancer. Identifying disparities in testing and treating hepatitis C among people of reproductive age with opioid use disorder can improve health outcomes for all birthing parents and children.”

Feasibility and Performance of a Point-of-Care Hepatitis C RNA Assay in a Community Supervision Cohort
“Progress toward hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination in the US has been stalled by reliance on a multistep diagnostic algorithm to confirm viremia, reducing access to curative treatment.”

New Research Supports Universal HCV Screening Over Risk-Based Testing
“The study found 1.4 million people aged 12-59 with current HCV infection, including over 500,000 without injection drug use history.”

State Spotlight Series: Syndemic Approaches to Substance Use and Infectious Disease
“Governors and their teams are responding to a rapid rise in syphilis and congenital syphilis cases. The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) is working to support states and territories in implementing a “syndemic” approach to this and other infectious diseases, recognizing that these outbreaks are intertwined with substance use. A syndemic refers to intersecting epidemics that are not only concurrent or sequential, but also have synergistic relationship, with overlapping or interactive risk factors, and often a context of shared social and behavioral risk factors and healthcare access gaps.”

An evolutionary concept analysis: stigma among women living with hepatitis C
“Stigma is a complex social phenomenon that leads to marginalization and influences the course of illness. In the context of hepatitis C virus (HCV), stigma is a well-documented barrier to accessing care, treatment, and cure. In recent years, HCV rates among women have increased, resulting in an urgent need to address stigma and its harmful effects. The purpose of this concept analysis was to investigate stigma in the context of women living with HCV using Rodgers’ evolutionary method.”

Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients With Hepatitis C Virus Infection
“Despite no increased odds of preterm birth or other adverse maternal outcomes in adjusted analyses, maternal HCV infection was associated with twofold increased odds of NICU admission and nearly threefold increased odds of SGA birth weight below the 5th percentile.”

HCV Testing Rates Among Perinatally Exposed Children Are Low, Racially Dependent
“Fewer than half of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-exposed children were tested for HCV, with lower testing rates among Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latinx children. These results were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.”

‘I was living with hepatitis C without knowing for 20 years’ – why you should get checked
“Getting a tattoo on his right arm led Andrew Eadie to contracting a shocking disease that only revealed itself two decades later when he visited his GP for with a suspected chest infection. The GP referred him to the University Hospital of Wales where concerns were raised about the significant swelling on his stomach.”

DAA Marketing Payments From Manufacturers Linked to Physician Prescribing Patterns
“New research is calling attention to a significant association between pharmaceutical company marketing payments related to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and physician prescription patterns for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment.”

Breakthrough in Hepatitis C Research Offers Hope for Vaccine Development
“Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have identified a protein complex on the hepatitis C virus that facilitates cell infection, paving the way for potential vaccine development, SciTech Daily revealed yesterday.”

Patients at Washington dental clinic told to get tested for HIV, hepatitis
“People expect the dentist who cares for their teeth to keep their equipment sanitary. In Eastern Washington’s Spokane County, patients at a dental clinic received an alarming letter.”

Q&A: Panel Offers Actionable Steps Toward Hepatitis C Elimination
““It is rare to consider the elimination of any infectious disease,” Vincent Lo Re III, MD, MSCE, and colleagues noted in Clinical Infectious Diseases.”

US will let more people take methadone at home
“The first big update to U.S. methadone regulations in 20 years is poised to expand access to the life-saving drug starting next month, but experts say the addiction treatment changes could fall flat if state governments and methadone clinics fail to act.”

Extrahepatic Cancer Risk in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection Treated with Direct-Acting Antivirals
“Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with an increased risk of extrahepatic cancers, particularly non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has revolutionized HCV therapy, resulting in high cure rates. However, concerns have been raised about potential effects on cancer risk. This review summarizes the current evidence on extrahepatic cancer risk in HCV-infected patients treated with DAAs.”

Welcome to the INHSU Prisons Hepatitis C Advocacy Toolkit   
“This toolkit provides guidance across three core areas that will support your advocacy efforts for the scale-up or implementation of prison-based hepatitis C testing, treatment and prevention services”

AI is Redefining the Hepatitis B and C Diagnostics Market, Set to Grow by USD 3.02 Billion from 2024-2028 with Rising Demand for Molecular Diagnostics – Technavio
“NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Report with market evolution powered by AI- The global hepatitis b and c diagnostics market size is estimated to grow by USD 3.02 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.09% during the forecast period. Growing demand for molecular diagnostics in diagnosis of HBV and HCV is driving market growth, with a trend towards advent of immunosensors in HBV and HCV diagnostic tests. However, low penetration of HBV and HCV diagnostic tests poses a challenge.”

Renal Manifestations of Chronic Hepatitis C: A Review
“Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has emerged as a major global health concern and, if left untreated, can lead to significant liver damage, including cirrhosis, decompensated liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Approximately 40% of patients with HCV infection experience extrahepatic manifestations, including renal involvement. HCV-related renal disease is of significant importance among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to higher morbidity and mortality.”

Free Hepatitis C Screening and Testing coming to Houston
Eliot Davis, secretary of Houston Viral Hepatitis Task Force, shares what people can expect at The ElimiNATION Awareness Tour. You can attend the event on Wednesday, September 18 at Sunnyside Health and Multi-Service Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or on Saturday, September 21, at The Beacon from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Economic Analysis of National Program for Hepatitis C Elimination, Israel, 2023
“In 2021, the Israel Ministry of Health began a national hepatitis C elimination program. Implementing a World Health Organization goal, Israel’s program involved targeted screening, barrier minimization, workup simplification, awareness campaigns, and a patient registry. We evaluated program costs for testing and treatment. By May 15, 2023, the program had identified 865,382 at-risk persons, of whom 555,083 (64.3%) were serologically screened for hepatitis C virus (HCV), which was detected in 24,361 (4.4%). Among 20,928 serologically positive patients, viremia was detected in 13,379 (63.9%), of whom 10,711 (80%) were treated, and 4,618 (96.5%) of 4,786 persons receiving posttreatment HCV RNA testing had sustained virologic response. We estimated costs of ₪14,426 (new Israel shekel; ≈$3,606 USD) per person whose HCV infection was diagnosed and successfully treated. The program yielded screening and treatment in almost two thirds of the identified at-risk population. Although not eliminated, HCV prevalence will likely decrease substantially by the 2030 target.”

Association between non-injection drug use and hepatitis C infection among HIV-negative men who have sex with men
“Among MSM with non-injection drug use, the subgroup of individuals who were ≥ 42 years of age and used multiple drugs (including heroin, speedball, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana) had a high probability of HCV infection. Public health and education programs, as well as drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, should be developed for this high-risk subgroup of individuals to prevent HCV acquisition and transmission.”

Scientists take final key step toward a hepatitis C vaccine
“Scientists have identified the protein complex that gives the hepatitis C virus the ability to bind and infect cells. This bit of cellular knowledge was an ongoing issue in the race to create a hepatitis C vaccine.”

Liver Cancer Screening Improved Survival for Adults Cured of Hep C
“Ongoing liver cancer screening for older people with cirrhosis after they are cured of hepatitis C virus (HCV) leads to improved overall survival rates, according to a Yale School of Medicine study.”

This ancient disease still kills 1 million people every year
“A new generation of drugs promised salvation from hepatitis B and C. What went wrong?”

NSW Dried Blood Spot HIV and Hepatitis C Testing Pilot: Mid-Point Evaluation, November 2016 – December 2020
“The NSW DBS Pilot improved the reach of HIV and hepatitis C testing for a range of priority populations and people who had not recently received testing. Overall, ten new HIV diagnoses were detected: nine via online self-registration and one via assisted registration in prison. No new HIV diagnoses were detected via assisted registration in community settings. There was low uptake of hepatitis C DBS testing via the online self-registration pathway, but in this arm of the study, the proportion of people with current hepatitis C infection among people who recently injected drugs was comparable to other settings. Prison settings accounted for a high proportion of hepatitis C DBS tests in the pilot and reported high treatment uptake. Treatment uptake for hepatitis C testing in the community is lower than in prison but comparable with standard of care and demonstrates success in expanding the reach of testing for priority populations. There are disparities in hepatitis C treatment uptake across settings.”

Q&A: Overlooked health issues that ‘need to be addressed’ in Asian communities
“Hepatitis B, diabetes, cancer, CVD, maternal mortality and suicide disproportionately affect AA and NH/PI populations. Physicians should know and routinely implement updated screening and vaccine guidelines to prevent AA and NH/PI health disparities.”

Even with HCV cure, surveillance for portal hypertension, HCC ‘should be mandatory’
“Sustained virologic response occurred in 81.8% of patients after the first DAA treatment course. Despite this, further decompensation occurred in 19% of patients and 2.9% developed hepatocellular carcinoma.”

HCV Monitoring in Low-Risk, Undiagnosed Blood Donors Reveals Ongoing Untreated Infections
“Despite being screened for hepatitis C virus (HCV) risk and having a lower prevalence of infection than the general population, findings from a recent study suggest blood donors mirror HCV trends in the general population and highlight the ongoing prevalence of untreated infections in groups less likely to have obvious risks for acquisition.”

Non-Invasive Tests Predict Liver Cancer Risk in Hepatitis C Patients After SVR
“A new study found transient elastography and the fibrosis-4 index offer acceptable predictive performance for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who have achieved a sustained viral response (SVR).”

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Hepatitis C is now curable but eliminating the disease from Australia comes with large challenges