Hep B Blog

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Hepatitis B Prevention, Living with Hepatitis B

The Fifty Shades of “Gray” of Hepatitis B Transmission – Part 2

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1716136dfa105e7f9bdf96de16e31742You can’t neatly package and control everything, but you can use good judgment and not over react when thinking about hepatitis B transmission. Hep B is not casually transmitted, but you know yourself, and both infected and uninfected individuals can take simple precautions. If you don’t have hepatitis B and you are sexually active, make sure you are vaccinated. If you have hep B, encourage your partners to get vaccinated. If you’re not in a monogamous relationship and/or one partner has not completed the hepatitis B vaccine series, use a condom!

(Click here if you’re looking for Part 1) Continue reading "The Fifty Shades of “Gray” of Hepatitis B Transmission – Part 2" →

Hepatitis B Treatment

HBV Journal Review March 2015

ChrisKHBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
 latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored:

  • Cholesterol and Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Markedly Lower Cancer Risk in Hepatitis B Patients
  • Hepatitis B Increases Risk of Stomach Cancer
  • Unsafe Injections Caused 1.7 Million HBV Infections Worldwide in 2010
  • New Guidelines Require Doctors to Screen for Hepatitis B Before Starting Chemotherapy
  • Computer Reminders Effective at Prompting Doctors to Screen for HBV Before Starting Chemotherapy
  • Study Finds Getting Frequent Cancer Screenings Saves Lives
  • Use of Radio Waves to Destroy Small Liver Tumors as Effective as Surgery
  • Interferon Increases Thyroid Disease in Hepatitis B and C Patients
  • Smoking Impairs Recovery from Hepatitis B and the Effectiveness of Immunization
  • Hepatitis B Immunization Coverage Declined 2.1% in 2013

Continue reading "HBV Journal Review March 2015" →

Liver Cancer

Slaying the Fibrolamellar Beast

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Fibrolamellar Chimera- Slay the Beast
The chimera mutation is common to all fibrolamellar tissue. The mythological chimera is part lion, part goat, and part serpent. Original Chimera illustration by Jessica Guercia Design by Deborah Corrigan Visual Arts | DeborahCorriganVA.com.

February 28 is Rare Disease Day.

Last year, we featured the story of Gail Trecosta, who described how her teenage son Matthew was bravely battling a rare form of liver cancer called fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FHC).

This year we are featuring FHC again but with a renewed sense of urgency and purpose.  Continue reading "Slaying the Fibrolamellar Beast" →

Hepatitis B Prevention, Living with Hepatitis B

The Fifty Shades of “Gray” of Hepatitis B Transmission – Part 1

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1716136dfa105e7f9bdf96de16e31742All pun and a little fun is intended with this title, but the “adult” version of hepatitis B transmission is a serious concern. There are “shades of gray” when it comes to hepatitis B transmission and the degree of risk with sexual activity. Continue reading "The Fifty Shades of “Gray” of Hepatitis B Transmission – Part 1" →

Hepatitis B Treatment

HBV Journal Review February 2015

ChrisKHBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
 latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored:

  • Quality of Care for Women with Hepatitis B Varies Dramatically Across U.S.
  • One-third of HBeAg-negative Women Experience “Flares” After Childbirth
  • Immunizing Newborns Is an Effective Tool in Preventing Cancer
  • Experts Warn: Don’t Delay Treatment in Patients with HBV Genotype C
  • Antivirals Help Patients with Cirrhosis, If Started Early Enough
  • Entecavir Effective at Clearing HBV’s cccDNA from Liver Cells
  • Older Age and a Weakened Immune System Can Cause HBV to Reactivate
  • Survey Shows Doctors Fail to Adequately Screen for Liver Cancer
  • Innovative Venues Increase Hepatitis B Screening Among Asian-Americans
  • Study Finds Waste Collectors at High Risk of Hepatitis B
  • Study Comparing Four Antivirals Finds All Appear Effective

Continue reading "HBV Journal Review February 2015" →

Hepatitis B Treatment

The Drug Discovery Process

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It takes talent, dedication, lots of  time, and a sizable investment to bring a safe and effective drug to market. The Drug Discovery Process YouTube video, compliments of PhRMAPress, introduces the long and arduous drug process from the identification of a compound in the lab, though clinical trials and the FDA approval process. It may sound simple, but this process may take up to 1,000 people, 12-15 years and up to 1.3 to 1.6 billion dollars to put a new drug in the hands of the patient.

Consider this process when following the progress of  hepatitis B drugs on the Hepatitis B Foundation Drug Watch page.  Compounds could remain in various stages for years. Note that the “preclinical” phase represents the drugs that are still in the lab and not yet ready for human clinical trials.

The Hepatitis B Foundation also maintains a webpage with the latest hepatitis B related clinical trials. Contact information is provided for each trial for those wishing to volunteer to participate.  Volunteers must meet the criteria for participation in a trial.

The future looks bright for a functional cure for hepatitis B. It may take a few more years to get the drug into the hands of the patient, but each step of the process is crucial in order to produce a drug that is both effective and safe.

 

 

 

Hepatitis B Diagnosis & Monitoring, Hepatitis B Prevention, Hepatitis B Treatment

HBV Journal Review – January 2015

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ChrisKHBF is pleased to connect our blog readers to Christine Kukka’s monthly HBV Journal Review that she writes for the HBV Advocate. The journal presents the
 latest in hepatitis B research, treatment, and prevention from recent academic and medical journals. This month, the following topics are explored:

  • Having Hepatitis B and a Family Member with Cancer Raises Cancer Risk Dramatically
  • VA Tests Only 21.8% of Its Patients for Hepatitis B, Missing Many at Risk of Infection
  • Research Shows Importance of HBV Screening Before Chemotherapy Begins
  • Younger Age and Low HBsAgLevels Benefit Patients Who Stop Antivirals
  • Doctors Debate Benefits of Interferon vs. Antiviral Treatment
  • New Study Finds Fibroscan Accuracy on Par with Liver Biopsies
  • Mild Kidney Problems and Bone Loss Linked to Antivirals
  • Hepatitis B Vaccine Effectiveness Challenged

Continue reading "HBV Journal Review – January 2015" →

Baruch S. Blumberg Institute