May 6th 2024
Analysis reveals rising hospitalization rates among pregnant women with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and age as a critical factor influencing maternal and fetal health outcomes.
HCV Cure Rates in HIV Patients, Lower in Real-World than in Clinical Trials
June 14th 2016Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure when using direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfected patients is lower in real-world settings than when patients are enrolled in clinical trials, a new study has found.
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Ledipasvir-Sofosbuvir for 8 Weeks: Effective and Cost-effective Against HCV
June 1st 2016A recent study in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has shown that ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) combination therapy produces similar sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in clinical trial-based studies and real-world studies.
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Direct-Acting Antiviral's Impact on Patients' Adherence to HCV Drug Regimen
May 13th 2016Charitha Gowda, MD, MPH, infectious diseases physician at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center discusses the impact direct-acting antivirals have had on patients’ adherence to their drug regimen when treating hepatitis C.
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A Closer Look at the Updated WHO HCV Guidelines
May 12th 2016Contagion™ Editorial Board member, Charitha Gowda, MD, MPH breaks down the World Health Organization hepatitis C (HCV) guidelines update, and reminds healthcare professionals to build on these guidelines to advocate for the most effective and safest treatment options for our individual patients and all patients worldwide.
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Hepatitis B Prevalence High in Refugees in Germany
May 3rd 2016The ongoing refugee crisis facing European countries as a result of conflicts in the Middle East presents a potential public health challenge to governments already struggling with the influx of hundreds of new migrants on a daily basis.
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Study Challenges WHO Recommendation to Increase HCV Screening in HIV-Infected Populations
April 27th 2016In a recent study of 1,812 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals in sub-Saharan Africa, researchers found that none of these individuals had confirmed hepatitis C virus replication.
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Discussing the VA's Decision To Supply HCV Treatment to All Veterans
April 21st 2016Charitha Gowda, MD MPH, infectious diseases physician at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center discusses the recent decision from The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to supply hepatitis C (HCV) treatment to all veterans, regardless of disease stage.
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Researchers Aim to Eliminate Hepatitis B and C as a Public Health Problem in the United States
April 20th 2016Researchers from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report that there is a possibility of eliminating the transmission of both Hepatitis B and C in the United States.
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Hepatitis C Treatment to be Afforded to All Infected Veterans, Regardless of Stage of Disease
March 16th 2016An increase in funding from Congress, in addition to a decrease in drug prices, will allow the VA to finance medical care for all hepatitis C patients, regardless of the stage of the disease, for fiscal year 2016.
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FDA Warns of Serious Slowing of Heart Rate with Hepatitis C Drugs and Amiodarone
May 30th 2015The FDA approved label warning changes for two Gilead Sciences hepatitis C drugs after one person died and nine others had serious reactions when the drugs were coadministered with amiodarone, a drug used to treat irregular heartbeat.
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Reactivation of Hepatitis B Associated With Immunosuppressive Medications
May 30th 2015In patients with chronic HBV, the immune system may have very low levels of the virus. When reactivation occurs due to immunosuppression, these viruses begin to replicate again. Common symptoms of this event include inflammation of the liver and elevations of liver enzyme levels in the blood. In some cases, bilirubin levels may rise in response to reactivation of infection.
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Tenofovir Plus Interferon Improves Antigen Clearance in Chronic Hepatitis B
December 13th 2014Treatment with a combination of tenofovir and pegylated interferon yielded higher rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss than when either drug was used singly. Further, with longer therapy duration improved results.
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Triple Therapy for Hepatitis C Infection: Bacterial Infection Risk Rises, Changes
December 1st 2014Patients who have HCV infection are at high risk for arthralgia, myalgias, pruritus, neuropathy, and decompensated livers. Until recently the sole available treatment was interferon. After the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ribavirin, patients who took ribavirin plus interferon responded better. Now, the FDA has approved a small selection of oral antivirals to treat hepatitis C.
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