Hepatitis Weekly articles from September 2001

Hepatitis Weekly archives from September 2001

Fibrosis Associated With Viral Hepatitis Linked To Thrombocytopenia.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - New research points to hepatic fibrosis as a source of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. A study of splenomegaly,...

Combination Hepatitis Vaccine Remains Effective In Long-Term Follow-Up.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The results of a long-term follow-up study of adults and children vaccinated with hepatitis A and B virus (HAV, HBV) combination vaccines show that immune...

Hepatitis C Accelerates Renal Graft Loss In Infected Patients.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) stand a greater chance of developing de novo glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation and losing the...

HAV Vaccination More Effective Before Decompensation In Hepatic Disease.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Doctors are now recommending that patients with chronic liver disease receive hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccines while they retain hepatic compensation. HAV...

Hepatitis B Among Findings In Review Of Acupuncture.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Acupuncture has been used for treating a number of ailments down through the ages. Some physicians even consider it an effective adjuvant to standard...

Immune System Enhancer Approved As Adjuvant To Chemotherapy.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals (SCLN) announced that Zadaxin(R), an immune system enhancer (ISE) drug, has been approved in the Philippines as an adjuvant to chemotherapy for the treatment of various...

Two-Dose Hepatitis B Vaccination Expected To Reduce Costs In Long Run.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Even though the cost of a two-dose regimen of hepatitis B vaccine may be more for adolescents in the short term, in the long run, it could save money,...

Sexual Transmission Not Major Source Of Hepatitis Infection In Jamaica.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Most patients in Jamaica with hepatitis B or C viruses did not acquire their infections through sexual transmission, a new study published in Sexually...

Deaths Linked To Oyster Bacteria.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two deaths have been linked to a rare bacterium found in oysters, prompting health officials in California to warn people with weakened immune systems to avoid eating raw shellfish. Two men...

Death Risk Higher In Patients With Hepatitis C, Cirrhosis Cited.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Hemodialysis patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have significantly lower survival rates than those without HCV infections. The reason may be...

CD40L Gene Therapy Eradicated Tumors In Rats.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Deborah W. Heinrich, PhD, staff medical writer - CD40L gene therapy stimulated antitumor immunity followed by complete tumor regression in rats with established hepatocellular carcinomas,...

Company Launches Safer Disposable Syringe And Needle.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An Australian company unveiled a new disposable needle and syringe aimed at cutting the threat of injuries caused by needles discarded by intravenous drug users. Harm Reduction Services (HRS)...

Swiss, U.S. Drug Firms Settle Patent Disputes On Hepatitis Products.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding AG said it had settled its patent disputes with Schering-Plough Corp. of Kenilworth, New Jersey, over forms of interferon modified to treat hepatitis C. ...

In U.S., White Hispanic Males Have Highest Mortality Rates.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In 1997, liver cirrhosis was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for approximately 25,000 deaths. The disease is most frequently associated with heavy drinking and,...

Hepatitis C Outbreak Associated With Gynecological Surgery.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Doctors in Italy have concluded an investigation into an outbreak of hepatitis C virus detected among women who underwent gynecological surgery in the same...

Study OKs HCV Treatment For Injection Drug Users.
September 3, 2001... 2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Even though doctors are hesitant to treat injection drug users for hepatitis C virus (HCV) before they become drug-free, those individuals can be...

Liver Disease Patients On New Ulcer Drug Should Modify Dosages.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Physicians in Japan suggest liver disease patients who take the new ulcer therapy roxatidine acetate should take modified doses of the drug, especially if...

Response To Interferon A Matter Of Hepatitis C Virus Subtype.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - For years doctors and researchers have known hepatitis C virus (HCV) response to interferon is a matter of genotype. A new Japanese study of chronic...

Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEET.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET...

Pediatric Immigrants To Italy Show Higher Hepatitis B Virus Rates.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Children entering Italy via adoption or immigration from areas where hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence is common have a slightly higher infection rate...

Transcranial Doppler Useful For Assessing Liver-Related Encephalopathy.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is a useful tool for evaluating vascular indices in liver-related encephalopathy, medical investigators in Japan say. ...

Southern Chinese Province Has One Of World's Highest Hepatitis B Infection Rates.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Use of dirty needles in shots and acupuncture has helped give the southern Chinese province of Guangdong one of the highest rates of hepatitis B infection in the world, officials and experts say....

Lamivudine More Cost Effective Than Interferon For Hepatitis B.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Using a decision-analysis model, analysts at two major pharmaceutical and biotechnological firms have decided lamivudine monotherapy is more cost effective...

Extent Of Liver Illness Limits Health-Related Quality Of Life.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - It is known that serious illness can affect a patient's mental status and lifestyle. An in-depth look at patients with chronic liver disease suggests the...

Dietary Supplement Maker Settles Charges Over Liver Disease Claims.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The maker of Liverite dietary supplements is settling U.S. federal charges that it falsely claimed its products could work wonders, from preventing serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis and...

Combination Therapy Receives FDA Approval.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Schering-Plough Corporation announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Peg-Intron (peginterferon alfa-2b) Powder for Injection for use in combination therapy with...

Many Patients With Thalassemia Exposed To Hepatitis G.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Almost two-thirds of Italian patients who received blood transfusions for thalassemia were found to been exposed to hepatitis G, the results of a new study...

Adefovir Dipivoxil Clears Deadly Liver Illness After Liver Transplant.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Doctors in the United Kingdom say adefovir dipivoxil can be used to combat cases of fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis that evolve after liver...

Pretreatment HCV Load, Qualitative Assays Predict Interferon Response.
September 10, 2001... 2001 SEP 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - One of the best predictors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) response to interferon is pretreatment viral load. This value and the use of qualitative HCV RNA...

Multinational Cohort Urges More Study Of Herbs Before Use For HBV.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - An international research team representing Denmark, the United Kingdom, and China has warned Chinese medicinal herbs should be studied more carefully in...

U.S. Doctors May Be Falling Short When Managing HCV Patient Care.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - A U.S. survey of primary care physicians indicates most know the risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but may fall short on referring...

Histology And Lab Tests Differentiate Livers In Alcoholics With HCV.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Government researchers in the U.S. report liver histology and serum albumin and platelet levels are able to distinguish alcoholics with hepatitis C virus...

Gastric Symptoms In Hepatitis A Transient, Involve Gallbladder.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - The pain and discomfort experienced by some individuals right after contracting hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is usually short lived and seems to be...

Zinc Supplementation Enhances HCV Response To Therapy.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sonia Bell-Nichols, senior medical writer - Patients with intractable chronic hepatitis C who add zinc supplementation to their interferon treatments may respond better to therapy, medical...

Mutated HBV May Be Present Before Therapy In Some Regions.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - In areas of high endemicity, hepatitis B virus (HBV) YMDD variants may be present in some patients before they even begin lamivudine therapy. This...

Injections, Sexual Practices Heighten HBV Risk In Bangladesh Truckers.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Male truckers and truck depot workers in Bangladesh, who are considered to be high-risk candidates for exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, are more...

Diabetes and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Associate With Fibrosis In HCV.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Several diseases linked to being overweight can aggravate liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, new research suggests. In the past...

Technique Allows New Plasma Product Testing In Broader Patient Group.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - New product developers could include a broader range of individuals with hemophilia in their testing groups by incorporating a strategy developed by...

Enrollment For Phase III Drug Trial In Japan Completed.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SciClone Pharmaceuticals announced that it has completed enrollment for its Phase III monotherapy hepatitis B trial in Japan with Zadaxin, an immune system enhancer (ISE) drug. The study...

Prisons Grapple With Boom In Cases.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- When Charles White was sentenced to prison in Oregon for robbery five years ago, he knew nothing about hepatitis C. It was only after his release in December that he found out he was infected with...

Don't Send Kids To School Without Their Vaccines.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs) encourages parents to make sure their children's immunizations are up-to-date this fall, even if their school district or college does not require...

Doctors Suggest Checks For Hepatic Metabolism To Assess Liver Function.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Tracking hepatic metabolism could turn out to be an effective method for assessing and restoring liver function in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or...

Medivir Signs Joint Venture Treatment Agreement with Chiron.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Medivir and Chiron have signed a new collaboration agreement to work together on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections treatments. Compound libraries from Medivir will be screened in Chiron's battery...

Tripep Researchers Identify Drug Candidate.
September 17, 2001... 2001 SEP 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Tripep AB (TPEP) researchers working on CTN 002, the phase II study of GPG(r), have identified a candidate drug for hepatitis C, entailing a breakthrough for Tripep's research outside the GPG...