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Richard Pizzi is editor of The Hospitalist. He has been an editor at Frontline Medical Communications since 2015, and previously served as editor of MDedge publications Hospitalist News and ID Practitioner. He has also worked as an editor and in editorial management roles for HIMSS Media, MedTech Media, and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Follow him on Twitter @richpizzi
Hepatitis outlook: December 2016
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
Drug-drug interactions between direct-acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy are frequently found among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
Vaccine-induced immunity persisted for up to 15-17 years in 89.3% of participants after a primary hepatitis B vaccination in infancy, according to a Chinese study.
Key pretreatment viral resistant-associated variants (RAVs) for hepatitis C protease inhibitors are present in a major portion of the HCV/HIV coinfected population prior to therapy, a recent study found.
A study of racial disparity in hepatitis C virus infection mortality found that Mexican Americans with chronic HCV had a mortality rate about seven times higher than that of HCV-negative individuals.
Acute hepatitis C virus infections are common in China, but a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis said the incidence of chronic HCV may be reduced among the high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus and IL28B genotypes associated with spontaneous clearance of HCV in Chinese populations.
Survival after hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis is significantly worse in kidney transplant recipients compared to nontransplanted patients with hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus, a recent study found.
A high proportion of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients had chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to a study of patients in South-East Asia. HCV genotype 1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment.
Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin therapy achieved rates of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment of at least 90% and was well tolerated among treatment-naive patients with chronic genotype 1 or 3 hepatitis C virus infection in India, a recent study found.
A Spanish study found that, in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 3 infection and cirrhosis, rates of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment were high with both sofosbuvir+daclatasvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir regimens, with few serious adverse events.
Chronic antigenemia in chronic HCV infection induces and maintains an antigen-specific T-bet+ B-cell, a study found, and antigen-driven T-bet expression may be a critical suppressor of B-cell activation in chronic HCV infection.
Methylation status of the IFN lambda-3 promoter region may be a useful parameter that identifies patients more likely to relapse following hepatitis C virus therapy, a recent study found, although continuing therapy for a sufficient duration can overcome this difference.
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis coinfections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, a Chinese study found, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, co-infected with HCV.
A study in a real-world setting found direct-acting antivirals to be safe and effective in elderly patients with hepatitis C virus-related advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis, but researchers said sustained virological response 12 weeks after the end of treatment was lower with worsening Child-Pugh-Turcotte class.
A combined HCV therapy of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir±dasabuvir was found highly effective in a Spanish clinical practice study with an acceptable safety profile and low rates of treatment discontinuation.
A study in Hepatology found that HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected adults had significantly less liver fat than uninfected adults, even after adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that non-genotype 3 HCV infection may be protective against hepatic steatosis.
Liver stiffness is very accurate for predicting liver-related events in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to a Spanish study.
A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with a greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors. The authors said sCD163, a marker of monocyte/macrophage activation which appears independent of intestinal epithelial damage and inflammation, partly explains this association.
Liver stiffness identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a recent study, and as a result upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may be safely spared in patients with LS less than 21 kPa.
A systematic review found the introduction of universal mass vaccination in countries with intermediate endemicity for hepatitis A virus infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of hepatitis A in vaccinated and in non-vaccinated age groups alike.
A European study found HIV/HCV coinfected patients with a favorable virological response to PEG-interferon + ribavirin treatment had reduced risk of all-cause and liver-related death, while there was no difference in risk of non-liver-related death when comparing responders and non-responders.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
Drug-drug interactions between direct-acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy are frequently found among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
Vaccine-induced immunity persisted for up to 15-17 years in 89.3% of participants after a primary hepatitis B vaccination in infancy, according to a Chinese study.
Key pretreatment viral resistant-associated variants (RAVs) for hepatitis C protease inhibitors are present in a major portion of the HCV/HIV coinfected population prior to therapy, a recent study found.
A study of racial disparity in hepatitis C virus infection mortality found that Mexican Americans with chronic HCV had a mortality rate about seven times higher than that of HCV-negative individuals.
Acute hepatitis C virus infections are common in China, but a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis said the incidence of chronic HCV may be reduced among the high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus and IL28B genotypes associated with spontaneous clearance of HCV in Chinese populations.
Survival after hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis is significantly worse in kidney transplant recipients compared to nontransplanted patients with hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus, a recent study found.
A high proportion of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients had chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to a study of patients in South-East Asia. HCV genotype 1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment.
Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin therapy achieved rates of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment of at least 90% and was well tolerated among treatment-naive patients with chronic genotype 1 or 3 hepatitis C virus infection in India, a recent study found.
A Spanish study found that, in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 3 infection and cirrhosis, rates of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment were high with both sofosbuvir+daclatasvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir regimens, with few serious adverse events.
Chronic antigenemia in chronic HCV infection induces and maintains an antigen-specific T-bet+ B-cell, a study found, and antigen-driven T-bet expression may be a critical suppressor of B-cell activation in chronic HCV infection.
Methylation status of the IFN lambda-3 promoter region may be a useful parameter that identifies patients more likely to relapse following hepatitis C virus therapy, a recent study found, although continuing therapy for a sufficient duration can overcome this difference.
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis coinfections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, a Chinese study found, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, co-infected with HCV.
A study in a real-world setting found direct-acting antivirals to be safe and effective in elderly patients with hepatitis C virus-related advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis, but researchers said sustained virological response 12 weeks after the end of treatment was lower with worsening Child-Pugh-Turcotte class.
A combined HCV therapy of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir±dasabuvir was found highly effective in a Spanish clinical practice study with an acceptable safety profile and low rates of treatment discontinuation.
A study in Hepatology found that HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected adults had significantly less liver fat than uninfected adults, even after adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that non-genotype 3 HCV infection may be protective against hepatic steatosis.
Liver stiffness is very accurate for predicting liver-related events in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to a Spanish study.
A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with a greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors. The authors said sCD163, a marker of monocyte/macrophage activation which appears independent of intestinal epithelial damage and inflammation, partly explains this association.
Liver stiffness identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a recent study, and as a result upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may be safely spared in patients with LS less than 21 kPa.
A systematic review found the introduction of universal mass vaccination in countries with intermediate endemicity for hepatitis A virus infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of hepatitis A in vaccinated and in non-vaccinated age groups alike.
A European study found HIV/HCV coinfected patients with a favorable virological response to PEG-interferon + ribavirin treatment had reduced risk of all-cause and liver-related death, while there was no difference in risk of non-liver-related death when comparing responders and non-responders.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
Drug-drug interactions between direct-acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy are frequently found among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
Vaccine-induced immunity persisted for up to 15-17 years in 89.3% of participants after a primary hepatitis B vaccination in infancy, according to a Chinese study.
Key pretreatment viral resistant-associated variants (RAVs) for hepatitis C protease inhibitors are present in a major portion of the HCV/HIV coinfected population prior to therapy, a recent study found.
A study of racial disparity in hepatitis C virus infection mortality found that Mexican Americans with chronic HCV had a mortality rate about seven times higher than that of HCV-negative individuals.
Acute hepatitis C virus infections are common in China, but a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis said the incidence of chronic HCV may be reduced among the high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus and IL28B genotypes associated with spontaneous clearance of HCV in Chinese populations.
Survival after hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis is significantly worse in kidney transplant recipients compared to nontransplanted patients with hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus, a recent study found.
A high proportion of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients had chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to a study of patients in South-East Asia. HCV genotype 1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment.
Sofosbuvir plus ribavirin therapy achieved rates of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment of at least 90% and was well tolerated among treatment-naive patients with chronic genotype 1 or 3 hepatitis C virus infection in India, a recent study found.
A Spanish study found that, in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 3 infection and cirrhosis, rates of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment were high with both sofosbuvir+daclatasvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir regimens, with few serious adverse events.
Chronic antigenemia in chronic HCV infection induces and maintains an antigen-specific T-bet+ B-cell, a study found, and antigen-driven T-bet expression may be a critical suppressor of B-cell activation in chronic HCV infection.
Methylation status of the IFN lambda-3 promoter region may be a useful parameter that identifies patients more likely to relapse following hepatitis C virus therapy, a recent study found, although continuing therapy for a sufficient duration can overcome this difference.
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis coinfections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, a Chinese study found, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, co-infected with HCV.
A study in a real-world setting found direct-acting antivirals to be safe and effective in elderly patients with hepatitis C virus-related advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis, but researchers said sustained virological response 12 weeks after the end of treatment was lower with worsening Child-Pugh-Turcotte class.
A combined HCV therapy of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir±dasabuvir was found highly effective in a Spanish clinical practice study with an acceptable safety profile and low rates of treatment discontinuation.
A study in Hepatology found that HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected adults had significantly less liver fat than uninfected adults, even after adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that non-genotype 3 HCV infection may be protective against hepatic steatosis.
Liver stiffness is very accurate for predicting liver-related events in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to a Spanish study.
A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with a greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors. The authors said sCD163, a marker of monocyte/macrophage activation which appears independent of intestinal epithelial damage and inflammation, partly explains this association.
Liver stiffness identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a recent study, and as a result upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may be safely spared in patients with LS less than 21 kPa.
A systematic review found the introduction of universal mass vaccination in countries with intermediate endemicity for hepatitis A virus infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of hepatitis A in vaccinated and in non-vaccinated age groups alike.
A European study found HIV/HCV coinfected patients with a favorable virological response to PEG-interferon + ribavirin treatment had reduced risk of all-cause and liver-related death, while there was no difference in risk of non-liver-related death when comparing responders and non-responders.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
HIV research update: Early December 2016
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
Since 2011, HIV incidence appears unchanged in the European Union/European Economic Area with between 29,000 and 33,000 new cases reported annually up to 2015, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
A study in the journal AIDS found that smoking is a highly prevalent exposure with important consequences for pregnancy in HIV-positive pregnant women in the United States, even in the presence of potent highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Around a quarter of all people living with HIV in South Africa have achieved viral suppression, a study found, although expanding HIV testing, strengthening prompt linkage to care and further expansion of antiretroviral therapy are needed for the country to reach the 90-90-90 target.
Viremia appears to occur frequently, particularly postpartum, among HIV-infected women after initial viral suppression, according to a South African study.
A study in New York City found that peer-referral approaches were more efficacious than venue-based sampling for uncovering heterosexuals at high-risk with undiagnosed HIV, and have a vital role to play in efforts to eliminate HIV transmission.
According to a study in AIDS Care, counseling messages for sterilized HIV-positive women should be sensitive to the fact that women may have regret regarding their sterilization decision that may historically have been part of provider recommendations to prevent vertical transmission of HIV.
A recent study found that frailty in virologically suppressed HIV+ men was associated with immune activation beyond that due to treated HIV infection, and the inflammatory markers associated with frailty were primarily products of activated monocytes/macrophages.
A Swiss study found that 22% of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis decisions were risk-discordant due to an exposed person’s request, incorrect estimation of the sexual transmission risk by the physician, or an exposed person’s refusal to accept PEP.
In HIV hyperendemic settings, a gift can be highly effective at increasing consent rates for home-based HIV testing, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Mortality among those untested for HIV contributes a declining portion of deaths among HIV-infected individuals in Rwanda, a recent study found, but the portion of deaths among those lost to follow-up is expected to increase the most over the next decade.
A high proportion of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients had chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to a study of patients in Southeast Asia. HCV genotype 1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment.
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis coinfections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, a Chinese study found, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, coinfected with HCV.
A recent study showed that Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus infects human central nervous system resident cells, primarily neurons, in HIV positive Zambian individuals.
In a pilot study, the use of rosuvastatin for 24 weeks appeared to slow worsening of airflow obstruction and to improve diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide in HIV-infected individuals with abnormal lung function.
A study of HIV-positive adults found that switching to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based treatment regimens is associated with reductions of bone mineral density and lipid levels and possibly lowered kidney function.
A study in the journal AIDS demonstrated virological 24-weeks efficacy in twice and once daily administered fozivudine-based antiretroviral treatment regimens, although researchers said reduced myelotoxicity of fozivudine needs to be confirmed in a larger trial.
A study in HIV Clinical Trials suggested potential differences in bone structure, estimated bone strength, and asymptomatic vertebral fractures among HIV-infected adults with and without fracture, warranting further study as markers of fracture risk in HIV.
A study in Hepatology found that HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected adults had significantly less liver fat than uninfected adults, even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that non-genotype 3 HCV infection may be protective against hepatic steatosis.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
Since 2011, HIV incidence appears unchanged in the European Union/European Economic Area with between 29,000 and 33,000 new cases reported annually up to 2015, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
A study in the journal AIDS found that smoking is a highly prevalent exposure with important consequences for pregnancy in HIV-positive pregnant women in the United States, even in the presence of potent highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Around a quarter of all people living with HIV in South Africa have achieved viral suppression, a study found, although expanding HIV testing, strengthening prompt linkage to care and further expansion of antiretroviral therapy are needed for the country to reach the 90-90-90 target.
Viremia appears to occur frequently, particularly postpartum, among HIV-infected women after initial viral suppression, according to a South African study.
A study in New York City found that peer-referral approaches were more efficacious than venue-based sampling for uncovering heterosexuals at high-risk with undiagnosed HIV, and have a vital role to play in efforts to eliminate HIV transmission.
According to a study in AIDS Care, counseling messages for sterilized HIV-positive women should be sensitive to the fact that women may have regret regarding their sterilization decision that may historically have been part of provider recommendations to prevent vertical transmission of HIV.
A recent study found that frailty in virologically suppressed HIV+ men was associated with immune activation beyond that due to treated HIV infection, and the inflammatory markers associated with frailty were primarily products of activated monocytes/macrophages.
A Swiss study found that 22% of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis decisions were risk-discordant due to an exposed person’s request, incorrect estimation of the sexual transmission risk by the physician, or an exposed person’s refusal to accept PEP.
In HIV hyperendemic settings, a gift can be highly effective at increasing consent rates for home-based HIV testing, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Mortality among those untested for HIV contributes a declining portion of deaths among HIV-infected individuals in Rwanda, a recent study found, but the portion of deaths among those lost to follow-up is expected to increase the most over the next decade.
A high proportion of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients had chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to a study of patients in Southeast Asia. HCV genotype 1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment.
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis coinfections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, a Chinese study found, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, coinfected with HCV.
A recent study showed that Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus infects human central nervous system resident cells, primarily neurons, in HIV positive Zambian individuals.
In a pilot study, the use of rosuvastatin for 24 weeks appeared to slow worsening of airflow obstruction and to improve diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide in HIV-infected individuals with abnormal lung function.
A study of HIV-positive adults found that switching to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based treatment regimens is associated with reductions of bone mineral density and lipid levels and possibly lowered kidney function.
A study in the journal AIDS demonstrated virological 24-weeks efficacy in twice and once daily administered fozivudine-based antiretroviral treatment regimens, although researchers said reduced myelotoxicity of fozivudine needs to be confirmed in a larger trial.
A study in HIV Clinical Trials suggested potential differences in bone structure, estimated bone strength, and asymptomatic vertebral fractures among HIV-infected adults with and without fracture, warranting further study as markers of fracture risk in HIV.
A study in Hepatology found that HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected adults had significantly less liver fat than uninfected adults, even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that non-genotype 3 HCV infection may be protective against hepatic steatosis.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
Since 2011, HIV incidence appears unchanged in the European Union/European Economic Area with between 29,000 and 33,000 new cases reported annually up to 2015, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
A study in the journal AIDS found that smoking is a highly prevalent exposure with important consequences for pregnancy in HIV-positive pregnant women in the United States, even in the presence of potent highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Around a quarter of all people living with HIV in South Africa have achieved viral suppression, a study found, although expanding HIV testing, strengthening prompt linkage to care and further expansion of antiretroviral therapy are needed for the country to reach the 90-90-90 target.
Viremia appears to occur frequently, particularly postpartum, among HIV-infected women after initial viral suppression, according to a South African study.
A study in New York City found that peer-referral approaches were more efficacious than venue-based sampling for uncovering heterosexuals at high-risk with undiagnosed HIV, and have a vital role to play in efforts to eliminate HIV transmission.
According to a study in AIDS Care, counseling messages for sterilized HIV-positive women should be sensitive to the fact that women may have regret regarding their sterilization decision that may historically have been part of provider recommendations to prevent vertical transmission of HIV.
A recent study found that frailty in virologically suppressed HIV+ men was associated with immune activation beyond that due to treated HIV infection, and the inflammatory markers associated with frailty were primarily products of activated monocytes/macrophages.
A Swiss study found that 22% of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis decisions were risk-discordant due to an exposed person’s request, incorrect estimation of the sexual transmission risk by the physician, or an exposed person’s refusal to accept PEP.
In HIV hyperendemic settings, a gift can be highly effective at increasing consent rates for home-based HIV testing, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Mortality among those untested for HIV contributes a declining portion of deaths among HIV-infected individuals in Rwanda, a recent study found, but the portion of deaths among those lost to follow-up is expected to increase the most over the next decade.
A high proportion of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients had chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to a study of patients in Southeast Asia. HCV genotype 1 was predominant, and 62% of patients had liver disease warranting prompt treatment.
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis coinfections may mitigate or slow down some of liver fibrosis, a Chinese study found, but special attention should be given to those who are older, male, coinfected with HCV.
A recent study showed that Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus infects human central nervous system resident cells, primarily neurons, in HIV positive Zambian individuals.
In a pilot study, the use of rosuvastatin for 24 weeks appeared to slow worsening of airflow obstruction and to improve diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide in HIV-infected individuals with abnormal lung function.
A study of HIV-positive adults found that switching to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based treatment regimens is associated with reductions of bone mineral density and lipid levels and possibly lowered kidney function.
A study in the journal AIDS demonstrated virological 24-weeks efficacy in twice and once daily administered fozivudine-based antiretroviral treatment regimens, although researchers said reduced myelotoxicity of fozivudine needs to be confirmed in a larger trial.
A study in HIV Clinical Trials suggested potential differences in bone structure, estimated bone strength, and asymptomatic vertebral fractures among HIV-infected adults with and without fracture, warranting further study as markers of fracture risk in HIV.
A study in Hepatology found that HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected adults had significantly less liver fat than uninfected adults, even after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that non-genotype 3 HCV infection may be protective against hepatic steatosis.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
HIV research update: Late November 2016
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
There has been a significant increase over time in the proportion of deliveries to women living with HIV aged 40 years and older, which has implications for pregnancy management, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
HIV-positive older adults have higher cystatin C levels than do HIV-negative older adults, according to a recent study, and cystatin C may be associated with neurocognitive impairment in this population, particularly if they use tenofovir.
A low Infant and Child Feeding Index, dietary diversity, and food consistency scores were likely associated with increased risk of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection among HIV-exposed infants in Tanzania, according to a study in JAIDS.
A Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study of HIV-exposed, uninfected U.S. children found growth was above average, although maternal tenofovir use was not associated with lower length or head circumference at 2 years of age, as hypothesized.
Cerebrovascular endothelial dysfunction associated with HIV infection may be most relevant for individuals with less traditional vascular risk, such as those with lower cholesterol, according to a study published in JAIDS.
Antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy was not associated with preterm birth, a recent study found, and it may in fact be protective against severe adverse outcomes accompanying extremely to very preterm birth.
A large majority of HIV-negative gay and bisexual men were appropriate candidates for PrEP, yet less than 1 in 10 were using and adherent to PrEP, according to a study in JAIDS. The findings highlight the need for interventions tailored to address the unique barriers men face at each stage of the care cascade.
Men who have sex with men remain a high risk group for HIV infection in a low prevalence setting, according to a study in Istanbul, and thus represent a key target population for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
A Kenya-based study found there is an urgent need to implement HIV prevention and treatment interventions targeting young people and patients entering care with severe immunosuppression (CD4 cell counts less than 100 cells/mcL), to optimize the impact of HIV prevention, care, and treatment in resource scarce settings.
A recent Nigerian study found evidence of a rising tide of HIV infection in TB patients, in particular among single middle-aged women with low education.
Negative emotional states with significant severity were common among people living with HIV, particularly depression and anxiety, according to a study in HIV & AIDS Review.
Drug-drug interactions between direct-acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy are frequently found among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
Key pretreatment viral resistant-associated variants (RAVs) for hepatitis C protease inhibitors are present in a major portion of the HCV/HIV coinfected population prior to therapy, a recent study found.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
There has been a significant increase over time in the proportion of deliveries to women living with HIV aged 40 years and older, which has implications for pregnancy management, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
HIV-positive older adults have higher cystatin C levels than do HIV-negative older adults, according to a recent study, and cystatin C may be associated with neurocognitive impairment in this population, particularly if they use tenofovir.
A low Infant and Child Feeding Index, dietary diversity, and food consistency scores were likely associated with increased risk of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection among HIV-exposed infants in Tanzania, according to a study in JAIDS.
A Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study of HIV-exposed, uninfected U.S. children found growth was above average, although maternal tenofovir use was not associated with lower length or head circumference at 2 years of age, as hypothesized.
Cerebrovascular endothelial dysfunction associated with HIV infection may be most relevant for individuals with less traditional vascular risk, such as those with lower cholesterol, according to a study published in JAIDS.
Antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy was not associated with preterm birth, a recent study found, and it may in fact be protective against severe adverse outcomes accompanying extremely to very preterm birth.
A large majority of HIV-negative gay and bisexual men were appropriate candidates for PrEP, yet less than 1 in 10 were using and adherent to PrEP, according to a study in JAIDS. The findings highlight the need for interventions tailored to address the unique barriers men face at each stage of the care cascade.
Men who have sex with men remain a high risk group for HIV infection in a low prevalence setting, according to a study in Istanbul, and thus represent a key target population for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
A Kenya-based study found there is an urgent need to implement HIV prevention and treatment interventions targeting young people and patients entering care with severe immunosuppression (CD4 cell counts less than 100 cells/mcL), to optimize the impact of HIV prevention, care, and treatment in resource scarce settings.
A recent Nigerian study found evidence of a rising tide of HIV infection in TB patients, in particular among single middle-aged women with low education.
Negative emotional states with significant severity were common among people living with HIV, particularly depression and anxiety, according to a study in HIV & AIDS Review.
Drug-drug interactions between direct-acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy are frequently found among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
Key pretreatment viral resistant-associated variants (RAVs) for hepatitis C protease inhibitors are present in a major portion of the HCV/HIV coinfected population prior to therapy, a recent study found.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
There has been a significant increase over time in the proportion of deliveries to women living with HIV aged 40 years and older, which has implications for pregnancy management, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
HIV-positive older adults have higher cystatin C levels than do HIV-negative older adults, according to a recent study, and cystatin C may be associated with neurocognitive impairment in this population, particularly if they use tenofovir.
A low Infant and Child Feeding Index, dietary diversity, and food consistency scores were likely associated with increased risk of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection among HIV-exposed infants in Tanzania, according to a study in JAIDS.
A Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study of HIV-exposed, uninfected U.S. children found growth was above average, although maternal tenofovir use was not associated with lower length or head circumference at 2 years of age, as hypothesized.
Cerebrovascular endothelial dysfunction associated with HIV infection may be most relevant for individuals with less traditional vascular risk, such as those with lower cholesterol, according to a study published in JAIDS.
Antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy was not associated with preterm birth, a recent study found, and it may in fact be protective against severe adverse outcomes accompanying extremely to very preterm birth.
A large majority of HIV-negative gay and bisexual men were appropriate candidates for PrEP, yet less than 1 in 10 were using and adherent to PrEP, according to a study in JAIDS. The findings highlight the need for interventions tailored to address the unique barriers men face at each stage of the care cascade.
Men who have sex with men remain a high risk group for HIV infection in a low prevalence setting, according to a study in Istanbul, and thus represent a key target population for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
A Kenya-based study found there is an urgent need to implement HIV prevention and treatment interventions targeting young people and patients entering care with severe immunosuppression (CD4 cell counts less than 100 cells/mcL), to optimize the impact of HIV prevention, care, and treatment in resource scarce settings.
A recent Nigerian study found evidence of a rising tide of HIV infection in TB patients, in particular among single middle-aged women with low education.
Negative emotional states with significant severity were common among people living with HIV, particularly depression and anxiety, according to a study in HIV & AIDS Review.
Drug-drug interactions between direct-acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy are frequently found among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, according to a study in HIV Medicine.
Key pretreatment viral resistant-associated variants (RAVs) for hepatitis C protease inhibitors are present in a major portion of the HCV/HIV coinfected population prior to therapy, a recent study found.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
Ebola research update: November 2016
The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.
A study in Cell found that specific amino acid substitutions in the Ebola virus glycoprotein have increased tropism for human cells, while reducing tropism for bat cells, and such increased infectivity may have contributed to the wide geographic distribution of some viral lineages.
A recent case study of a West African Ebola survivor demonstrated the persistence of T-cell activation well beyond viral clearance and detected Ebola-specific T cells, providing insights into lymphocyte specificity during the reconvalescent phase of Ebola virus disease.
The Ebola virus glycoprotein mutant GP-A82V arose early and dominated the 2013-2016 West African epidemic, according to a recent study, and it was weakly associated with increased mortality during the epidemic.
A modeling study on a region of Sierra Leone provided numerical estimates for the effectiveness of ring vaccination to control future Ebola virus outbreaks. Investigators showed that outbreaks with moderate transmission potential can be successfully contained, and more extensive vaccination and reinforcement of the health care system would increase the likelihood of containment even if the virus were more transmissible than in the past.
An RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) diagnostic assay using a glycoprotein target is more sensitive for the detection of Ebola virus in clinical samples than is an RT-PCR using a nucleoprotein target, according to a study in Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease.
Convalescent whole blood therapy is promising for treating Ebola virus disease in resource-poor settings, especially in the early phases of outbreaks when resource mobilization is done, according to a study in the Journal of Infection.
Rapid chart reviews at Ebola virus disease survivor clinics should be repeated regularly to assess the extent of illness and prioritize service delivery, according to a study in Sierra Leone.
The 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa harmed the tourism industry in Kenya, according to a study by the University of Nairobi.
Researchers have developed Microreact, a free, real-time epidemic visualization and tracking platform that has been used to monitor outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, and antibiotic-resistant microbes, according to a report in Microbial Genomics.
A study in the Journal of Virology found that Ebola virus variants with improved fitness emerged early during the West African Ebola virus outbreak, impacting virus transmissibility and pathogenicity.
A literature review published in BMC Infectious Diseases found the pooled case fatality rate and seroprevalence for Ebola and Marburg viruses to be lower than usually reported, with species differences despite high heterogeneity between studies.
A study of the scope and scale of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreaks in West Africa found broad socioeconomic impacts, including reduced community cohesion, education loss, reduced child protection, widespread job losses, and food insecurity.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.
A study in Cell found that specific amino acid substitutions in the Ebola virus glycoprotein have increased tropism for human cells, while reducing tropism for bat cells, and such increased infectivity may have contributed to the wide geographic distribution of some viral lineages.
A recent case study of a West African Ebola survivor demonstrated the persistence of T-cell activation well beyond viral clearance and detected Ebola-specific T cells, providing insights into lymphocyte specificity during the reconvalescent phase of Ebola virus disease.
The Ebola virus glycoprotein mutant GP-A82V arose early and dominated the 2013-2016 West African epidemic, according to a recent study, and it was weakly associated with increased mortality during the epidemic.
A modeling study on a region of Sierra Leone provided numerical estimates for the effectiveness of ring vaccination to control future Ebola virus outbreaks. Investigators showed that outbreaks with moderate transmission potential can be successfully contained, and more extensive vaccination and reinforcement of the health care system would increase the likelihood of containment even if the virus were more transmissible than in the past.
An RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) diagnostic assay using a glycoprotein target is more sensitive for the detection of Ebola virus in clinical samples than is an RT-PCR using a nucleoprotein target, according to a study in Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease.
Convalescent whole blood therapy is promising for treating Ebola virus disease in resource-poor settings, especially in the early phases of outbreaks when resource mobilization is done, according to a study in the Journal of Infection.
Rapid chart reviews at Ebola virus disease survivor clinics should be repeated regularly to assess the extent of illness and prioritize service delivery, according to a study in Sierra Leone.
The 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa harmed the tourism industry in Kenya, according to a study by the University of Nairobi.
Researchers have developed Microreact, a free, real-time epidemic visualization and tracking platform that has been used to monitor outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, and antibiotic-resistant microbes, according to a report in Microbial Genomics.
A study in the Journal of Virology found that Ebola virus variants with improved fitness emerged early during the West African Ebola virus outbreak, impacting virus transmissibility and pathogenicity.
A literature review published in BMC Infectious Diseases found the pooled case fatality rate and seroprevalence for Ebola and Marburg viruses to be lower than usually reported, with species differences despite high heterogeneity between studies.
A study of the scope and scale of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreaks in West Africa found broad socioeconomic impacts, including reduced community cohesion, education loss, reduced child protection, widespread job losses, and food insecurity.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.
A study in Cell found that specific amino acid substitutions in the Ebola virus glycoprotein have increased tropism for human cells, while reducing tropism for bat cells, and such increased infectivity may have contributed to the wide geographic distribution of some viral lineages.
A recent case study of a West African Ebola survivor demonstrated the persistence of T-cell activation well beyond viral clearance and detected Ebola-specific T cells, providing insights into lymphocyte specificity during the reconvalescent phase of Ebola virus disease.
The Ebola virus glycoprotein mutant GP-A82V arose early and dominated the 2013-2016 West African epidemic, according to a recent study, and it was weakly associated with increased mortality during the epidemic.
A modeling study on a region of Sierra Leone provided numerical estimates for the effectiveness of ring vaccination to control future Ebola virus outbreaks. Investigators showed that outbreaks with moderate transmission potential can be successfully contained, and more extensive vaccination and reinforcement of the health care system would increase the likelihood of containment even if the virus were more transmissible than in the past.
An RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) diagnostic assay using a glycoprotein target is more sensitive for the detection of Ebola virus in clinical samples than is an RT-PCR using a nucleoprotein target, according to a study in Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease.
Convalescent whole blood therapy is promising for treating Ebola virus disease in resource-poor settings, especially in the early phases of outbreaks when resource mobilization is done, according to a study in the Journal of Infection.
Rapid chart reviews at Ebola virus disease survivor clinics should be repeated regularly to assess the extent of illness and prioritize service delivery, according to a study in Sierra Leone.
The 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa harmed the tourism industry in Kenya, according to a study by the University of Nairobi.
Researchers have developed Microreact, a free, real-time epidemic visualization and tracking platform that has been used to monitor outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, and antibiotic-resistant microbes, according to a report in Microbial Genomics.
A study in the Journal of Virology found that Ebola virus variants with improved fitness emerged early during the West African Ebola virus outbreak, impacting virus transmissibility and pathogenicity.
A literature review published in BMC Infectious Diseases found the pooled case fatality rate and seroprevalence for Ebola and Marburg viruses to be lower than usually reported, with species differences despite high heterogeneity between studies.
A study of the scope and scale of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreaks in West Africa found broad socioeconomic impacts, including reduced community cohesion, education loss, reduced child protection, widespread job losses, and food insecurity.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
Hepatitis Outlook: November 2016
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
The introduction of universal mass vaccination against hepatitis A in countries with intermediate endemicity for HAV infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of HAV in vaccinated and in nonvaccinated age groups alike.
Mortality was high among chronic hepatitis C patients, with and without cirrhosis, compared with the general population, a Danish cohort study found. Curing CHC was associated with reduced mortality among cirrhotic patients but remained higher than the general population.
A hepatitis C outbreak in a North Dakota skilled nursing facility highlights the importance of prompt reporting and investigation of incident HCV infection, and the need for adherence to basic infection control procedures by health care personnel.
A recent study identified a novel hepatitis B virus subgenotype D10 circulating in Ethiopia, underlining the high genetic variability of HBV strains in Africa.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found that baseline hepatitis B core antibody predicts treatment response in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving long-term entecavir.
A novel quantitative microarray antibody capture assay was able to identify extremely high hepatitis delta virus prevalence amongst hepatitis B virus–infected Mongolians.
The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was effective in predicting the long-term prognosis for patients with hepatitis B virus–related cirrhosis and was more accurate than Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores.
A study in Hepatology found that proanthocyanidin (PAC) and its analogs present a new class of anti–hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein and could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.
A hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-Ag) assay proved to be useful in monitoring treatment of HCV-infected patients with sustained viral response and in patients who experienced treatment failures, according to a study in Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease.
The introduction of a managed care network for patients infected with hepatitis C virus increased access to care and reduced all-cause mortality, according to a recent study.
A study in South Korea found that hepatitis B infection was associated with an increased incidence of thrombocytopenia in healthy adults without cirrhosis.
A proof-of-concept study demonstrated that peritransplant immunoprophylaxis combined with a single oral direct-acting antiviral in the immediate post-transplant period can prevent HCV recurrence.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis established the baseline mortality and hepatocellular carcinoma progression rates in decompensated cirrhosis patients against which the impact of new antiviral therapies could be measured.
Genetic distance-based network analyses can be used to identify characteristics associated with hepatitis C virus transmission, informing targeted prevention and treatment strategies, according to a recent study.
According to a new study, primary T-cell immunodeficiency is associated with a lower spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus, while female sex and coinfection with hepatitis B virus are associated with a higher spontaneous clearance.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found that the induction of humoral and cellular immune response to hepatitis B virus vaccine can be upregulated by CpG oligonucleotides complexed with Dectin-1 ligand.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
The introduction of universal mass vaccination against hepatitis A in countries with intermediate endemicity for HAV infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of HAV in vaccinated and in nonvaccinated age groups alike.
Mortality was high among chronic hepatitis C patients, with and without cirrhosis, compared with the general population, a Danish cohort study found. Curing CHC was associated with reduced mortality among cirrhotic patients but remained higher than the general population.
A hepatitis C outbreak in a North Dakota skilled nursing facility highlights the importance of prompt reporting and investigation of incident HCV infection, and the need for adherence to basic infection control procedures by health care personnel.
A recent study identified a novel hepatitis B virus subgenotype D10 circulating in Ethiopia, underlining the high genetic variability of HBV strains in Africa.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found that baseline hepatitis B core antibody predicts treatment response in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving long-term entecavir.
A novel quantitative microarray antibody capture assay was able to identify extremely high hepatitis delta virus prevalence amongst hepatitis B virus–infected Mongolians.
The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was effective in predicting the long-term prognosis for patients with hepatitis B virus–related cirrhosis and was more accurate than Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores.
A study in Hepatology found that proanthocyanidin (PAC) and its analogs present a new class of anti–hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein and could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.
A hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-Ag) assay proved to be useful in monitoring treatment of HCV-infected patients with sustained viral response and in patients who experienced treatment failures, according to a study in Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease.
The introduction of a managed care network for patients infected with hepatitis C virus increased access to care and reduced all-cause mortality, according to a recent study.
A study in South Korea found that hepatitis B infection was associated with an increased incidence of thrombocytopenia in healthy adults without cirrhosis.
A proof-of-concept study demonstrated that peritransplant immunoprophylaxis combined with a single oral direct-acting antiviral in the immediate post-transplant period can prevent HCV recurrence.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis established the baseline mortality and hepatocellular carcinoma progression rates in decompensated cirrhosis patients against which the impact of new antiviral therapies could be measured.
Genetic distance-based network analyses can be used to identify characteristics associated with hepatitis C virus transmission, informing targeted prevention and treatment strategies, according to a recent study.
According to a new study, primary T-cell immunodeficiency is associated with a lower spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus, while female sex and coinfection with hepatitis B virus are associated with a higher spontaneous clearance.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found that the induction of humoral and cellular immune response to hepatitis B virus vaccine can be upregulated by CpG oligonucleotides complexed with Dectin-1 ligand.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
The introduction of universal mass vaccination against hepatitis A in countries with intermediate endemicity for HAV infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of HAV in vaccinated and in nonvaccinated age groups alike.
Mortality was high among chronic hepatitis C patients, with and without cirrhosis, compared with the general population, a Danish cohort study found. Curing CHC was associated with reduced mortality among cirrhotic patients but remained higher than the general population.
A hepatitis C outbreak in a North Dakota skilled nursing facility highlights the importance of prompt reporting and investigation of incident HCV infection, and the need for adherence to basic infection control procedures by health care personnel.
A recent study identified a novel hepatitis B virus subgenotype D10 circulating in Ethiopia, underlining the high genetic variability of HBV strains in Africa.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found that baseline hepatitis B core antibody predicts treatment response in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving long-term entecavir.
A novel quantitative microarray antibody capture assay was able to identify extremely high hepatitis delta virus prevalence amongst hepatitis B virus–infected Mongolians.
The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was effective in predicting the long-term prognosis for patients with hepatitis B virus–related cirrhosis and was more accurate than Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores.
A study in Hepatology found that proanthocyanidin (PAC) and its analogs present a new class of anti–hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein and could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.
A hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-Ag) assay proved to be useful in monitoring treatment of HCV-infected patients with sustained viral response and in patients who experienced treatment failures, according to a study in Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease.
The introduction of a managed care network for patients infected with hepatitis C virus increased access to care and reduced all-cause mortality, according to a recent study.
A study in South Korea found that hepatitis B infection was associated with an increased incidence of thrombocytopenia in healthy adults without cirrhosis.
A proof-of-concept study demonstrated that peritransplant immunoprophylaxis combined with a single oral direct-acting antiviral in the immediate post-transplant period can prevent HCV recurrence.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis established the baseline mortality and hepatocellular carcinoma progression rates in decompensated cirrhosis patients against which the impact of new antiviral therapies could be measured.
Genetic distance-based network analyses can be used to identify characteristics associated with hepatitis C virus transmission, informing targeted prevention and treatment strategies, according to a recent study.
According to a new study, primary T-cell immunodeficiency is associated with a lower spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus, while female sex and coinfection with hepatitis B virus are associated with a higher spontaneous clearance.
A study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found that the induction of humoral and cellular immune response to hepatitis B virus vaccine can be upregulated by CpG oligonucleotides complexed with Dectin-1 ligand.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
HIV research update: Early November 2016
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
HIV-infected U.S. smokers aged 40 years lose more than 6 years of life expectancy from smoking, according to a computer simulation study, possibly outweighing the loss from HIV infection itself.
A study published in JAIDS provides insight into a novel mechanism of ritonavir-induced insulin resistance involving proinflammatory properties of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1).
Antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) appeared to have a more favorable renal safety profile than did TDF administered with a protease inhibitor or cobicistat, according to a study in HIV Clinical Trials.
Researchers said the first study to describe the dynamics of the biomarker of cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 in two groups of HIV-infected individuals, before and after combination antiretroviral therapy, has demonstrated the value of the marker in understanding HIV neuropathogenesis.
A study of HIV testing among ethnic minority adolescents in New Jersey underscored the importance of developing multifaceted HIV/AIDS prevention protocols that provide direct education and skill-building activities, leverage peer education as a means to disseminate health-related information, and deliver broad-based prevention messaging that is culturally tailored and gender specific.
HIV-infected adults in a contemporary, high-resource setting have poor dietary patterns, a recent study found, and alcohol use was associated with worse gut integrity and increased inflammation, while other aspects of diet were not.
A study in BMC Infectious Diseases found immune recovery comparable in primary and chronic HIV infection, whereas differences in absolute counts and proportions of CD4+ T cell subpopulations were found between primary HIV infection and late presenters supporting early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy.
HIV/HCV coinfection leads to a significant increase in plasma HCV RNA, according to a study in Pathogens and Global Health.
A Canadian study identified elevated rates of intentional and unintentional injury among people living with HIV.
Partner services for persons with acute and early HIV infection (AEH) within 30 days of diagnosis represents an effective tool to find HIV unaware persons, a recent study found, including those with AEH who are at greatest risk of HIV transmission.
Maternal tenofovir use was not associated with lower length or head circumference of HIV-exposed uninfected infants at 2 years of age, a recent study revealed, but may be related to greater weight among those exposed to combination antiretroviral therapy early in pregnancy.
Cryptococcal meningitis may be considered one of the causes of acute vision loss in pregnant/postpartum HIV-positive females, according to a study in BMC Infectious Diseases.
According to a study in JAIDS, red cell distribution width remains a powerful marker of cardiovascular disease in the context of the inflammatory milieu that accompanies HIV infection.
HIV infection moderates the association between vascular remodeling and neurocognitive function but not the association between pulse pressure and neurocognitive function, a recent study revealed.
HIV viral blips on therapy are associated with subsequent viral rebound on stopping antiretroviral therapy among individuals treated in primary HIV infection, according to a new study.
Adipocytokine dysregulation seems to be related to metabolic syndrome in HIV-infected children, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
HIV-infected U.S. smokers aged 40 years lose more than 6 years of life expectancy from smoking, according to a computer simulation study, possibly outweighing the loss from HIV infection itself.
A study published in JAIDS provides insight into a novel mechanism of ritonavir-induced insulin resistance involving proinflammatory properties of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1).
Antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) appeared to have a more favorable renal safety profile than did TDF administered with a protease inhibitor or cobicistat, according to a study in HIV Clinical Trials.
Researchers said the first study to describe the dynamics of the biomarker of cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 in two groups of HIV-infected individuals, before and after combination antiretroviral therapy, has demonstrated the value of the marker in understanding HIV neuropathogenesis.
A study of HIV testing among ethnic minority adolescents in New Jersey underscored the importance of developing multifaceted HIV/AIDS prevention protocols that provide direct education and skill-building activities, leverage peer education as a means to disseminate health-related information, and deliver broad-based prevention messaging that is culturally tailored and gender specific.
HIV-infected adults in a contemporary, high-resource setting have poor dietary patterns, a recent study found, and alcohol use was associated with worse gut integrity and increased inflammation, while other aspects of diet were not.
A study in BMC Infectious Diseases found immune recovery comparable in primary and chronic HIV infection, whereas differences in absolute counts and proportions of CD4+ T cell subpopulations were found between primary HIV infection and late presenters supporting early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy.
HIV/HCV coinfection leads to a significant increase in plasma HCV RNA, according to a study in Pathogens and Global Health.
A Canadian study identified elevated rates of intentional and unintentional injury among people living with HIV.
Partner services for persons with acute and early HIV infection (AEH) within 30 days of diagnosis represents an effective tool to find HIV unaware persons, a recent study found, including those with AEH who are at greatest risk of HIV transmission.
Maternal tenofovir use was not associated with lower length or head circumference of HIV-exposed uninfected infants at 2 years of age, a recent study revealed, but may be related to greater weight among those exposed to combination antiretroviral therapy early in pregnancy.
Cryptococcal meningitis may be considered one of the causes of acute vision loss in pregnant/postpartum HIV-positive females, according to a study in BMC Infectious Diseases.
According to a study in JAIDS, red cell distribution width remains a powerful marker of cardiovascular disease in the context of the inflammatory milieu that accompanies HIV infection.
HIV infection moderates the association between vascular remodeling and neurocognitive function but not the association between pulse pressure and neurocognitive function, a recent study revealed.
HIV viral blips on therapy are associated with subsequent viral rebound on stopping antiretroviral therapy among individuals treated in primary HIV infection, according to a new study.
Adipocytokine dysregulation seems to be related to metabolic syndrome in HIV-infected children, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
HIV-infected U.S. smokers aged 40 years lose more than 6 years of life expectancy from smoking, according to a computer simulation study, possibly outweighing the loss from HIV infection itself.
A study published in JAIDS provides insight into a novel mechanism of ritonavir-induced insulin resistance involving proinflammatory properties of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1).
Antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) appeared to have a more favorable renal safety profile than did TDF administered with a protease inhibitor or cobicistat, according to a study in HIV Clinical Trials.
Researchers said the first study to describe the dynamics of the biomarker of cerebrospinal fluid YKL-40 in two groups of HIV-infected individuals, before and after combination antiretroviral therapy, has demonstrated the value of the marker in understanding HIV neuropathogenesis.
A study of HIV testing among ethnic minority adolescents in New Jersey underscored the importance of developing multifaceted HIV/AIDS prevention protocols that provide direct education and skill-building activities, leverage peer education as a means to disseminate health-related information, and deliver broad-based prevention messaging that is culturally tailored and gender specific.
HIV-infected adults in a contemporary, high-resource setting have poor dietary patterns, a recent study found, and alcohol use was associated with worse gut integrity and increased inflammation, while other aspects of diet were not.
A study in BMC Infectious Diseases found immune recovery comparable in primary and chronic HIV infection, whereas differences in absolute counts and proportions of CD4+ T cell subpopulations were found between primary HIV infection and late presenters supporting early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy.
HIV/HCV coinfection leads to a significant increase in plasma HCV RNA, according to a study in Pathogens and Global Health.
A Canadian study identified elevated rates of intentional and unintentional injury among people living with HIV.
Partner services for persons with acute and early HIV infection (AEH) within 30 days of diagnosis represents an effective tool to find HIV unaware persons, a recent study found, including those with AEH who are at greatest risk of HIV transmission.
Maternal tenofovir use was not associated with lower length or head circumference of HIV-exposed uninfected infants at 2 years of age, a recent study revealed, but may be related to greater weight among those exposed to combination antiretroviral therapy early in pregnancy.
Cryptococcal meningitis may be considered one of the causes of acute vision loss in pregnant/postpartum HIV-positive females, according to a study in BMC Infectious Diseases.
According to a study in JAIDS, red cell distribution width remains a powerful marker of cardiovascular disease in the context of the inflammatory milieu that accompanies HIV infection.
HIV infection moderates the association between vascular remodeling and neurocognitive function but not the association between pulse pressure and neurocognitive function, a recent study revealed.
HIV viral blips on therapy are associated with subsequent viral rebound on stopping antiretroviral therapy among individuals treated in primary HIV infection, according to a new study.
Adipocytokine dysregulation seems to be related to metabolic syndrome in HIV-infected children, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
Hepatitis Outlook: October 2016
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
The overall incidence of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) and window period (WP) infections was found to be low – at 1 in 6,503 and 1 in 24,214 donations respectively – during a study of transfusion associated HBV infection in India.
A Korean study found tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) mono–rescue therapy to be a reasonable option in chronic hepatitis B virus patients with lamivudine resistance and entecavir resistance. However, the authors said combination therapy should be considered in patients with high baseline HBV DNA levels.
The Hepavax-Gene TF vaccine was equally effective and non-inferior to the Engerix-B vaccine in terms of prevention of mother-to-child hepatitis B virus transmission in neonates born to mothers positive for HBsAg, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
Interferon alfa (IFN-alfa)–based antiviral therapy of hepatitis delta virus infection was independently associated with a lower likelihood for clinical disease progression, according to a German study.
A study of hepatitis C–infected patients in Australian prisons found that bonding and linking social capital can be valuable resources in promoting HCV treatment awareness, uptake, and adherence, and that peer-based programs are likely to be influential in promoting HCV outcomes in the prison setting.
An analysis in Hepatology found that hepatitis C virus testing interventions resulted in an increase in birth cohort testing, compared with standard of care, but also increased costs, although the results support more widespread adoption of BC testing, compared with the other interventions.
A health education program at substance dependence treatment centers in Portugal improved significantly patient knowledge about hepatitis C, even among patients with high baseline knowledge, and increased the rate of referral to liver specialists.
A single-center trial of direct-acting antivirals in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype (GT)1 or 3 infection supported the use of 8-week DAA treatment regimens that maintain high efficacy, even for patients infected with HCV GT3 infection.
Results from the OSIRIS study revealed that simeprevir plus sofosbuvir for 12 weeks achieved a 100% sustained virologic response rate in hepatitis C virus genotype 4-infected patients with or without compensated cirrhosis.
A literature review found that the polymorphism interferon-lambda 4 (IFNL4) ss469415590 was significantly associated with sustained virologic response in hepatitis C virus genotype 1-infected patients, irrespective of race, and has a tendency to be associated with HCV GT2/3 patients.
The overall incidence of occult hepatitis B infection and window period infections was found to be low at 1 in 6,503 and 1 in 24,214 donations, respectively, in a study of South Indian blood donors.
The introduction of universal mass vaccination against hepatitis A in countries with intermediate endemicity for HAV infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of hepatitis A in vaccinated and in non-vaccinated age groups alike.
A systematic review in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found a higher incidence of hepatitis C virus in women, compared with men who inject drugs.
A recent study found that treatment for 6 weeks with ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir was well tolerated and highly effective in patients with acute hepatitis C virus genotype 1 monoinfection.
A Spanish study found that response-guided therapy with boceprevir in combination with pegylated interferon-alfa 2a/ribavirin for HCV-HIV coinfected patients led to overall sustained virologic response rates of 67% but only 51% in patients with cirrhosis.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
The overall incidence of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) and window period (WP) infections was found to be low – at 1 in 6,503 and 1 in 24,214 donations respectively – during a study of transfusion associated HBV infection in India.
A Korean study found tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) mono–rescue therapy to be a reasonable option in chronic hepatitis B virus patients with lamivudine resistance and entecavir resistance. However, the authors said combination therapy should be considered in patients with high baseline HBV DNA levels.
The Hepavax-Gene TF vaccine was equally effective and non-inferior to the Engerix-B vaccine in terms of prevention of mother-to-child hepatitis B virus transmission in neonates born to mothers positive for HBsAg, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
Interferon alfa (IFN-alfa)–based antiviral therapy of hepatitis delta virus infection was independently associated with a lower likelihood for clinical disease progression, according to a German study.
A study of hepatitis C–infected patients in Australian prisons found that bonding and linking social capital can be valuable resources in promoting HCV treatment awareness, uptake, and adherence, and that peer-based programs are likely to be influential in promoting HCV outcomes in the prison setting.
An analysis in Hepatology found that hepatitis C virus testing interventions resulted in an increase in birth cohort testing, compared with standard of care, but also increased costs, although the results support more widespread adoption of BC testing, compared with the other interventions.
A health education program at substance dependence treatment centers in Portugal improved significantly patient knowledge about hepatitis C, even among patients with high baseline knowledge, and increased the rate of referral to liver specialists.
A single-center trial of direct-acting antivirals in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype (GT)1 or 3 infection supported the use of 8-week DAA treatment regimens that maintain high efficacy, even for patients infected with HCV GT3 infection.
Results from the OSIRIS study revealed that simeprevir plus sofosbuvir for 12 weeks achieved a 100% sustained virologic response rate in hepatitis C virus genotype 4-infected patients with or without compensated cirrhosis.
A literature review found that the polymorphism interferon-lambda 4 (IFNL4) ss469415590 was significantly associated with sustained virologic response in hepatitis C virus genotype 1-infected patients, irrespective of race, and has a tendency to be associated with HCV GT2/3 patients.
The overall incidence of occult hepatitis B infection and window period infections was found to be low at 1 in 6,503 and 1 in 24,214 donations, respectively, in a study of South Indian blood donors.
The introduction of universal mass vaccination against hepatitis A in countries with intermediate endemicity for HAV infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of hepatitis A in vaccinated and in non-vaccinated age groups alike.
A systematic review in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found a higher incidence of hepatitis C virus in women, compared with men who inject drugs.
A recent study found that treatment for 6 weeks with ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir was well tolerated and highly effective in patients with acute hepatitis C virus genotype 1 monoinfection.
A Spanish study found that response-guided therapy with boceprevir in combination with pegylated interferon-alfa 2a/ribavirin for HCV-HIV coinfected patients led to overall sustained virologic response rates of 67% but only 51% in patients with cirrhosis.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering a variety of the major hepatitis viruses.
The overall incidence of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) and window period (WP) infections was found to be low – at 1 in 6,503 and 1 in 24,214 donations respectively – during a study of transfusion associated HBV infection in India.
A Korean study found tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) mono–rescue therapy to be a reasonable option in chronic hepatitis B virus patients with lamivudine resistance and entecavir resistance. However, the authors said combination therapy should be considered in patients with high baseline HBV DNA levels.
The Hepavax-Gene TF vaccine was equally effective and non-inferior to the Engerix-B vaccine in terms of prevention of mother-to-child hepatitis B virus transmission in neonates born to mothers positive for HBsAg, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
Interferon alfa (IFN-alfa)–based antiviral therapy of hepatitis delta virus infection was independently associated with a lower likelihood for clinical disease progression, according to a German study.
A study of hepatitis C–infected patients in Australian prisons found that bonding and linking social capital can be valuable resources in promoting HCV treatment awareness, uptake, and adherence, and that peer-based programs are likely to be influential in promoting HCV outcomes in the prison setting.
An analysis in Hepatology found that hepatitis C virus testing interventions resulted in an increase in birth cohort testing, compared with standard of care, but also increased costs, although the results support more widespread adoption of BC testing, compared with the other interventions.
A health education program at substance dependence treatment centers in Portugal improved significantly patient knowledge about hepatitis C, even among patients with high baseline knowledge, and increased the rate of referral to liver specialists.
A single-center trial of direct-acting antivirals in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype (GT)1 or 3 infection supported the use of 8-week DAA treatment regimens that maintain high efficacy, even for patients infected with HCV GT3 infection.
Results from the OSIRIS study revealed that simeprevir plus sofosbuvir for 12 weeks achieved a 100% sustained virologic response rate in hepatitis C virus genotype 4-infected patients with or without compensated cirrhosis.
A literature review found that the polymorphism interferon-lambda 4 (IFNL4) ss469415590 was significantly associated with sustained virologic response in hepatitis C virus genotype 1-infected patients, irrespective of race, and has a tendency to be associated with HCV GT2/3 patients.
The overall incidence of occult hepatitis B infection and window period infections was found to be low at 1 in 6,503 and 1 in 24,214 donations, respectively, in a study of South Indian blood donors.
The introduction of universal mass vaccination against hepatitis A in countries with intermediate endemicity for HAV infection led to a considerable decrease in the incidence of hepatitis A in vaccinated and in non-vaccinated age groups alike.
A systematic review in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found a higher incidence of hepatitis C virus in women, compared with men who inject drugs.
A recent study found that treatment for 6 weeks with ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir was well tolerated and highly effective in patients with acute hepatitis C virus genotype 1 monoinfection.
A Spanish study found that response-guided therapy with boceprevir in combination with pegylated interferon-alfa 2a/ribavirin for HCV-HIV coinfected patients led to overall sustained virologic response rates of 67% but only 51% in patients with cirrhosis.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
Ebola research update: October 2016
The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.
The National Institutes of Health has established a new program to strengthen the research capacity to study Ebola, Lassa fever, yellow fever, and other emerging viral diseases.
A special supplement on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was released by The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Investigators at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, released a study on the aerosolization of Ebola virus, which includes emission rates that could help inform risk assessment of inhalation exposure to Ebola virus.
Insights from a recent study into the molecular interactions behind the Ebola virus suggest new approaches for fighting the disease, specifically, blocking the viral protein from binding to Niemann-Pick C1 protein.
Despite challenges, the hazardous work with Ebola virus disease (EVD) patients in Sierra Leone was experienced as meaningful by health care workers and an important motivator, according to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Researchers combined two common modeling methods – estimation of epidemic parameters using mathematical models, and estimation of associations using ecological regression models – to identify some factors predicting rapid and severe EVD epidemics in West African subnational regions.
A report in Nature showed how evolutionary analyses of Ebola virus genome sequences provided key insights into virus origins, evolution, and spread during the 2013-2016 West African epidemic.
Chinese researchers said there is no robust evidence that the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa was fast-evolving and -adapting to humans, and that the unprecedented nature of the 2014 outbreak might be more likely related to nonvirological elements, such as environmental and sociological factors.
Several concerns were associated with new Ebola vaccine candidates, according to a recent analysis, including the safety profile in some particular populations, the immunization schedule for emergency vaccination, and the persistence of the protection.
Age younger than 5 years, bleeding, and high viral loads were poor prognostic indicators of children with EVD, according to results of a study in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Fear, myth, and misconceptions were common among health care workers during the 2014 EVD outbreak in Nigeria, according to a study in PLOS One. The authors said strategies to allay fear are required to contain future outbreaks of EVD in Nigerian hospitals.
The risk of nosocomial transmission of the Ebola virus within Ebola Holding Units during the 2014 EVD epidemic in Sierra Leone was low, according to a recent analysis.
An unusual case of Ebola virus chain of transmission was uncovered in Conakry, Guinea in 2015, according to a research letter in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.
The National Institutes of Health has established a new program to strengthen the research capacity to study Ebola, Lassa fever, yellow fever, and other emerging viral diseases.
A special supplement on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was released by The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Investigators at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, released a study on the aerosolization of Ebola virus, which includes emission rates that could help inform risk assessment of inhalation exposure to Ebola virus.
Insights from a recent study into the molecular interactions behind the Ebola virus suggest new approaches for fighting the disease, specifically, blocking the viral protein from binding to Niemann-Pick C1 protein.
Despite challenges, the hazardous work with Ebola virus disease (EVD) patients in Sierra Leone was experienced as meaningful by health care workers and an important motivator, according to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Researchers combined two common modeling methods – estimation of epidemic parameters using mathematical models, and estimation of associations using ecological regression models – to identify some factors predicting rapid and severe EVD epidemics in West African subnational regions.
A report in Nature showed how evolutionary analyses of Ebola virus genome sequences provided key insights into virus origins, evolution, and spread during the 2013-2016 West African epidemic.
Chinese researchers said there is no robust evidence that the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa was fast-evolving and -adapting to humans, and that the unprecedented nature of the 2014 outbreak might be more likely related to nonvirological elements, such as environmental and sociological factors.
Several concerns were associated with new Ebola vaccine candidates, according to a recent analysis, including the safety profile in some particular populations, the immunization schedule for emergency vaccination, and the persistence of the protection.
Age younger than 5 years, bleeding, and high viral loads were poor prognostic indicators of children with EVD, according to results of a study in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Fear, myth, and misconceptions were common among health care workers during the 2014 EVD outbreak in Nigeria, according to a study in PLOS One. The authors said strategies to allay fear are required to contain future outbreaks of EVD in Nigerian hospitals.
The risk of nosocomial transmission of the Ebola virus within Ebola Holding Units during the 2014 EVD epidemic in Sierra Leone was low, according to a recent analysis.
An unusual case of Ebola virus chain of transmission was uncovered in Conakry, Guinea in 2015, according to a research letter in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.
The National Institutes of Health has established a new program to strengthen the research capacity to study Ebola, Lassa fever, yellow fever, and other emerging viral diseases.
A special supplement on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was released by The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Investigators at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, released a study on the aerosolization of Ebola virus, which includes emission rates that could help inform risk assessment of inhalation exposure to Ebola virus.
Insights from a recent study into the molecular interactions behind the Ebola virus suggest new approaches for fighting the disease, specifically, blocking the viral protein from binding to Niemann-Pick C1 protein.
Despite challenges, the hazardous work with Ebola virus disease (EVD) patients in Sierra Leone was experienced as meaningful by health care workers and an important motivator, according to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Researchers combined two common modeling methods – estimation of epidemic parameters using mathematical models, and estimation of associations using ecological regression models – to identify some factors predicting rapid and severe EVD epidemics in West African subnational regions.
A report in Nature showed how evolutionary analyses of Ebola virus genome sequences provided key insights into virus origins, evolution, and spread during the 2013-2016 West African epidemic.
Chinese researchers said there is no robust evidence that the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa was fast-evolving and -adapting to humans, and that the unprecedented nature of the 2014 outbreak might be more likely related to nonvirological elements, such as environmental and sociological factors.
Several concerns were associated with new Ebola vaccine candidates, according to a recent analysis, including the safety profile in some particular populations, the immunization schedule for emergency vaccination, and the persistence of the protection.
Age younger than 5 years, bleeding, and high viral loads were poor prognostic indicators of children with EVD, according to results of a study in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Fear, myth, and misconceptions were common among health care workers during the 2014 EVD outbreak in Nigeria, according to a study in PLOS One. The authors said strategies to allay fear are required to contain future outbreaks of EVD in Nigerian hospitals.
The risk of nosocomial transmission of the Ebola virus within Ebola Holding Units during the 2014 EVD epidemic in Sierra Leone was low, according to a recent analysis.
An unusual case of Ebola virus chain of transmission was uncovered in Conakry, Guinea in 2015, according to a research letter in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
HIV research update: Late October 2016
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A study in the American Journal of Pathology found that HIV impairs Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen presentation in human dendritic cells, thereby suppressing an important cell-linking innate and adaptive immune response in TB.
A study of the uptake of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among commercially insured persons in the U.S. found that interventions are needed to increase PrEP use by women at substantial risk of acquiring HIV infection.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children, according to a study in Cameroon.
A Colombian study of the clinical outcomes of a generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naive patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Skin autofluorescence is increased in HIV-infected subjects and related with smoking, low nadir CD4 count, and men who have sex with men, according to a study in the journal AIDS, but researchers say larger studies are needed to confirm whether skin autofluorescence is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease events.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., said that, as the HIV-positive population ages, structured subjective cognitive assessment may be beneficial to identify the early signs of cognitive impairment, and to allow for earlier interventions to maintain cognitive performance.
An antiretroviral therapy roll-out in rural Malawi resulted in a sustained 10-year gain in adult life expectancy for HIV-positive individuals, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Increasing HIV virulence driven by universal testing and treatment is likely not a major public health concern, according to a modeling study, but should be monitored in sentinel surveillance, in a manner similar to transmitted resistance to antiretroviral drugs.
A South African study found no association between duration of tenofovir exposure in utero and early linear growth in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants.
In 2014, 17.9% of AIDS cases reported by 29 countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) presented with TB as an AIDS-defining illness, indicating that TB/HIV coinfection is a substantial problem in the EU/EEA.
A study of malnourished antiretroviral therapy (ART)-eligible adults in sub-Saharan Africa found that pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in Taiwan found that HIV patients had an increased risk of stroke, particularly those with cryptococcal meningitis, cytomegalovirus, or P. marneffei infection.
A study of older patients living with HIV found that the associations between cognitive impairment and patient-reported outcome measures were weak, possibly because impairment was mild and therefore largely asymptomatic.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A study in the American Journal of Pathology found that HIV impairs Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen presentation in human dendritic cells, thereby suppressing an important cell-linking innate and adaptive immune response in TB.
A study of the uptake of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among commercially insured persons in the U.S. found that interventions are needed to increase PrEP use by women at substantial risk of acquiring HIV infection.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children, according to a study in Cameroon.
A Colombian study of the clinical outcomes of a generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naive patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Skin autofluorescence is increased in HIV-infected subjects and related with smoking, low nadir CD4 count, and men who have sex with men, according to a study in the journal AIDS, but researchers say larger studies are needed to confirm whether skin autofluorescence is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease events.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., said that, as the HIV-positive population ages, structured subjective cognitive assessment may be beneficial to identify the early signs of cognitive impairment, and to allow for earlier interventions to maintain cognitive performance.
An antiretroviral therapy roll-out in rural Malawi resulted in a sustained 10-year gain in adult life expectancy for HIV-positive individuals, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Increasing HIV virulence driven by universal testing and treatment is likely not a major public health concern, according to a modeling study, but should be monitored in sentinel surveillance, in a manner similar to transmitted resistance to antiretroviral drugs.
A South African study found no association between duration of tenofovir exposure in utero and early linear growth in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants.
In 2014, 17.9% of AIDS cases reported by 29 countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) presented with TB as an AIDS-defining illness, indicating that TB/HIV coinfection is a substantial problem in the EU/EEA.
A study of malnourished antiretroviral therapy (ART)-eligible adults in sub-Saharan Africa found that pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in Taiwan found that HIV patients had an increased risk of stroke, particularly those with cryptococcal meningitis, cytomegalovirus, or P. marneffei infection.
A study of older patients living with HIV found that the associations between cognitive impairment and patient-reported outcome measures were weak, possibly because impairment was mild and therefore largely asymptomatic.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A study in the American Journal of Pathology found that HIV impairs Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen presentation in human dendritic cells, thereby suppressing an important cell-linking innate and adaptive immune response in TB.
A study of the uptake of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among commercially insured persons in the U.S. found that interventions are needed to increase PrEP use by women at substantial risk of acquiring HIV infection.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children, according to a study in Cameroon.
A Colombian study of the clinical outcomes of a generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naive patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Skin autofluorescence is increased in HIV-infected subjects and related with smoking, low nadir CD4 count, and men who have sex with men, according to a study in the journal AIDS, but researchers say larger studies are needed to confirm whether skin autofluorescence is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease events.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., said that, as the HIV-positive population ages, structured subjective cognitive assessment may be beneficial to identify the early signs of cognitive impairment, and to allow for earlier interventions to maintain cognitive performance.
An antiretroviral therapy roll-out in rural Malawi resulted in a sustained 10-year gain in adult life expectancy for HIV-positive individuals, according to a study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Increasing HIV virulence driven by universal testing and treatment is likely not a major public health concern, according to a modeling study, but should be monitored in sentinel surveillance, in a manner similar to transmitted resistance to antiretroviral drugs.
A South African study found no association between duration of tenofovir exposure in utero and early linear growth in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants.
In 2014, 17.9% of AIDS cases reported by 29 countries in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) presented with TB as an AIDS-defining illness, indicating that TB/HIV coinfection is a substantial problem in the EU/EEA.
A study of malnourished antiretroviral therapy (ART)-eligible adults in sub-Saharan Africa found that pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in Taiwan found that HIV patients had an increased risk of stroke, particularly those with cryptococcal meningitis, cytomegalovirus, or P. marneffei infection.
A study of older patients living with HIV found that the associations between cognitive impairment and patient-reported outcome measures were weak, possibly because impairment was mild and therefore largely asymptomatic.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
HIV research update: Early October 2016
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A recent neurocognitive study found that executive dysfunction persists among young adults with perinatal HIV infection in comparison to controls.
Interventions designed for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection have prevented nearly 22,000 cases of perinatal HIV transmission in the United States since 1994.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use reduced fear and shame associated with sex and facilitated greater sexual satisfaction and intimacy among men who have sex with men, according to a study by investigators at the University of Washington.
A study in HIV Medicine found that several of the World Health Organization’s HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) early warning indicators (EWIs) were associated with and predictive of HIVDR, supporting the WHO EWIs as a component of the HIVDR prevention method in settings where HIVDR testing is not routinely or widely available.
Findings from a large multi-center Ethiopian study suggest that sub-optimal adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was present in up to a quarter of HIV patients, despite a high degree of average adherence to cART.
Developing strategies and interventions to facilitate parent–adolescent communication about sex-related topics, particularly HIV prevention and condom use, may be important to increase HIV testing among young women and men, according to a study in AIDS Care.
A French study found that comorbidities and coprescriptions are highly prevalent in ageing HIV-infected patients, especially those with a long history of HIV infection.
A review article in AIDS Research and Therapy noted that HIV-associated pulmonary tuberculosis treatment mandates a committed approach that encompasses both effective as well as enduring therapy originating from newer drug combinations, evolving ideas and emerging concepts from clinical trials globally.
Home-based HIV testing remains an efficient strategy to diagnose and link to care in settings with high levels of HIV awareness, according to a recent study in Chiradzulu District, Malawi.
A recent study suggests that obesity is an additional health burden to people living with HIV and that their daily dietary practices are not meeting the U.S. government-recommended nutritional standards.
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act was followed by HIV-positive patient enrollment growth and improved viral control in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, according to a study in JAIDS.
A pediatric study found that the statin drug atorvastatin lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in HIV-infected youth with antiretroviral-associated hyperlipidemia. The authors said atorvastatin could be considered for HIV-infected children with hyperlipidemia.
Subsequent to the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV patients, immunological recovery rather than type of antiretroviral therapy is the major driver of changes in cognitive function.
Among malnourished antiretroviral-eligible HIV-positive adults in Zambia and Tanzania, pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in JAIDS found that drug regimen simplification from a 5-tablet regimen to the 2-tablet, once-daily combination of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide plus darunavir has durable maintenance of virologic suppression and improvements in specific markers of renal safety.
An analysis in BMC Infectious Diseases revealed that the clinical outcomes of generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naïve patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A recent neurocognitive study found that executive dysfunction persists among young adults with perinatal HIV infection in comparison to controls.
Interventions designed for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection have prevented nearly 22,000 cases of perinatal HIV transmission in the United States since 1994.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use reduced fear and shame associated with sex and facilitated greater sexual satisfaction and intimacy among men who have sex with men, according to a study by investigators at the University of Washington.
A study in HIV Medicine found that several of the World Health Organization’s HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) early warning indicators (EWIs) were associated with and predictive of HIVDR, supporting the WHO EWIs as a component of the HIVDR prevention method in settings where HIVDR testing is not routinely or widely available.
Findings from a large multi-center Ethiopian study suggest that sub-optimal adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was present in up to a quarter of HIV patients, despite a high degree of average adherence to cART.
Developing strategies and interventions to facilitate parent–adolescent communication about sex-related topics, particularly HIV prevention and condom use, may be important to increase HIV testing among young women and men, according to a study in AIDS Care.
A French study found that comorbidities and coprescriptions are highly prevalent in ageing HIV-infected patients, especially those with a long history of HIV infection.
A review article in AIDS Research and Therapy noted that HIV-associated pulmonary tuberculosis treatment mandates a committed approach that encompasses both effective as well as enduring therapy originating from newer drug combinations, evolving ideas and emerging concepts from clinical trials globally.
Home-based HIV testing remains an efficient strategy to diagnose and link to care in settings with high levels of HIV awareness, according to a recent study in Chiradzulu District, Malawi.
A recent study suggests that obesity is an additional health burden to people living with HIV and that their daily dietary practices are not meeting the U.S. government-recommended nutritional standards.
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act was followed by HIV-positive patient enrollment growth and improved viral control in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, according to a study in JAIDS.
A pediatric study found that the statin drug atorvastatin lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in HIV-infected youth with antiretroviral-associated hyperlipidemia. The authors said atorvastatin could be considered for HIV-infected children with hyperlipidemia.
Subsequent to the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV patients, immunological recovery rather than type of antiretroviral therapy is the major driver of changes in cognitive function.
Among malnourished antiretroviral-eligible HIV-positive adults in Zambia and Tanzania, pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in JAIDS found that drug regimen simplification from a 5-tablet regimen to the 2-tablet, once-daily combination of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide plus darunavir has durable maintenance of virologic suppression and improvements in specific markers of renal safety.
An analysis in BMC Infectious Diseases revealed that the clinical outcomes of generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naïve patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi
A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A recent neurocognitive study found that executive dysfunction persists among young adults with perinatal HIV infection in comparison to controls.
Interventions designed for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection have prevented nearly 22,000 cases of perinatal HIV transmission in the United States since 1994.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use reduced fear and shame associated with sex and facilitated greater sexual satisfaction and intimacy among men who have sex with men, according to a study by investigators at the University of Washington.
A study in HIV Medicine found that several of the World Health Organization’s HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) early warning indicators (EWIs) were associated with and predictive of HIVDR, supporting the WHO EWIs as a component of the HIVDR prevention method in settings where HIVDR testing is not routinely or widely available.
Findings from a large multi-center Ethiopian study suggest that sub-optimal adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was present in up to a quarter of HIV patients, despite a high degree of average adherence to cART.
Developing strategies and interventions to facilitate parent–adolescent communication about sex-related topics, particularly HIV prevention and condom use, may be important to increase HIV testing among young women and men, according to a study in AIDS Care.
A French study found that comorbidities and coprescriptions are highly prevalent in ageing HIV-infected patients, especially those with a long history of HIV infection.
A review article in AIDS Research and Therapy noted that HIV-associated pulmonary tuberculosis treatment mandates a committed approach that encompasses both effective as well as enduring therapy originating from newer drug combinations, evolving ideas and emerging concepts from clinical trials globally.
Home-based HIV testing remains an efficient strategy to diagnose and link to care in settings with high levels of HIV awareness, according to a recent study in Chiradzulu District, Malawi.
A recent study suggests that obesity is an additional health burden to people living with HIV and that their daily dietary practices are not meeting the U.S. government-recommended nutritional standards.
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act was followed by HIV-positive patient enrollment growth and improved viral control in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, according to a study in JAIDS.
A pediatric study found that the statin drug atorvastatin lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in HIV-infected youth with antiretroviral-associated hyperlipidemia. The authors said atorvastatin could be considered for HIV-infected children with hyperlipidemia.
Subsequent to the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV patients, immunological recovery rather than type of antiretroviral therapy is the major driver of changes in cognitive function.
Among malnourished antiretroviral-eligible HIV-positive adults in Zambia and Tanzania, pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in JAIDS found that drug regimen simplification from a 5-tablet regimen to the 2-tablet, once-daily combination of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide plus darunavir has durable maintenance of virologic suppression and improvements in specific markers of renal safety.
An analysis in BMC Infectious Diseases revealed that the clinical outcomes of generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naïve patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children.
rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com
On Twitter @richpizzi