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  • Hep B Discrimination - Part Deux

    … birth, while effective, is not guaranteed to protect against infection. Get tested. Health students: If you know of someone who has been denied enrollment based on HBV infection or experienced other types of discrimination in any kind of arena (childcare, employment, etc.), get in contact with hep B advocates. They can connect you to private or pro bono attorneys that will help you file a complaint with the DOJ. This can be confidential (name not public) and doesn’t even have to be filed by the individual. Nadine Shiroma, a community civil rights advocate, gave me most of the information I used to write this blog post. Joan Block, co-founder and executive director of the Hepatitis B Foundation, is another key resource. School administrators: Protect your institution by implementing clear policies regarding HBV that are compliant with the ADA, and consistent with CDC recommendations for that matter. Help prospective students by making these policies public. Student leaders: If you’re in APAMSA, serve on school policy committees, you can push your schools to make public and make clear their policies regarding hepatitis B infected students and staff involved in health care.

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/hep-b-discrimination-part-deux/
  • Liver Cancer Webinar Series: What You Need to Know

    Missed the webinar? Download the March 6th Webinar and listen to Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer: What You Need to Know, by Dr. Robert Gish.  Due to an overwhelming response, continued registration for  this Wednesday's webinar with Dr. Gish is closed. Stay tuned as the webinar will be recorded in it's entirety, and will be made available. Stay tuned for details!  Did you know? Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the seventh most common cancer worldwide. But the major causes of liver cancer— such as chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C, and cirrhosis— are largely preventable. And treatments for liver cancer are available. Learn more about liver cancer Join The Hepatitis B Foundation’s webinar series to learn about the risk factors for liver cancer and the importance of liver cancer screening and surveillance. The expert presenters will describe currently available treatment options and clinical trials. The first webinar of the series will be Liver Cancer and Hepatitis B: What You Need to Know, presented by Robert G. Gish, MD, an internationally renowned liver diseases expert. Dr. Gish is a Clinical Professor of Medicine, Section Chief of Hepatology, and Co-Director of the Center for Hepatobiliary Disease and Abdominal Transplantation at the University of California, San Diego Health Systems. Dr. Gish has an active research program in viral hepatitis and has published more than 600 original articles, abstracts, and book chapters, and more than 120 peer-reviewed publications. Liver Cancer and Hepatitis B: What You Need to Know webinar details: Presented by:Dr. Robert G. Gish Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 Time: 12 noon EST; 9 am PST Click here to register For additional accurate, easy-to-understand information on liver cancer, visit the Hepatitis B Foundation’s new, dedicated website, www.LiverCancerConnect.org.  

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/liver-cancer-webinar-series-what-you-need-to-know/
  • Living with HBV and Dealing with “Itchy” Skin

    The previous Hepbtalk blog discussed skin manifestations associated with hepatitis B and liver disease. This is a follow-up with some suggestions on dealing with rashes and pruritus (itchy) skin. Unfortunately, I have experience with this. Most people living with HBV have episodes with rashes that itch, or with an itch without the rash. Rashes can be caused by all kinds of things, but the skin truly does let us know when there is something going on with our body. We may not be able to eliminate the itch, but we can work on providing the body with a little relief, and to be sure we do not do anything to make the persistent itching worse. First, consider the root of the problem. It is possible that your rash and itching are unrelated to the current status of your HBV infection.  Unless you have serious liver disease, this might be difficult to pin down since many living with chronic HBV have compensated livers that perform all of the necessary liver functions required for life.  That does not mean you aren’t going crazy with itchy skin, but it is important to look at other factors that may be contributing to your pruritus. Are you currently being treated with IFN or PEG for your HBV? Have you recently started a new medication? Do you have allergies, seasonal, food or otherwise? Do you have other symptoms that might relate to another virus or infection? Have you recently switched laundry detergents or rinses? Have you recently switched any of your personal care items – shampoo, soap, creams, deodorant, etc. Try to determine if there is a pattern associated with your skin problems.  Any of the above can cause rashes or pruritus without the added complication of HBV or advanced liver disease from HBV. I was convinced that HBV was the root of all skin problems, but I was wrong. That's why it's good to look at other possible sources so you can at least eliminate the things you have control over. Here are some simple things you can do to help reduce the degree of

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/living-with-hbv-and-dealing-with-itchy-skin/
  • Having HBV and Using Immunosuppressants

    Studies have shown a direct danger of HBV reactivation for those patients that were previously HBV infected, currently surface antigen-negative (HBsAg -), and using 'biological response modifiers' (ex. Rituximab, which has a black box warning).  These patients may be under-going treatment for lymphoma, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowl or other serious diseases.  Dangerous reactivation of hepatitis B can be prevented by the simultaneous, prophylactic  treatment with HBV antivirals.  Guidelines exist for screening patients, and the need for prophylaxis is understood, but unfortunately not known or followed by all treating physicians. This is a real danger to the patient, and can result in a fatal outcome. The topic of general immunosuppressant use has come up repeatedly at previous HBF hepatitis B patient conferences among those currently living with hepatitis B. Patients took it upon themselves to ask the experts what they thought because they were constantly on alert for things that might impact their HBV status.  Immunosuppressants are drugs that are used to treat all kinds of acute and chronic conditions.  They tamp down the immune response by suppressing it.  This could be problematic for someone with HBV, because the virus  may replicate readily with the immune system suppressed. The evidence is out there for hard-core long-term immnosuppressants or targeted therapy as noted above,  but there's not much out there about the general use of steroids for those with HBV.  It's worth thinking about, and having the conversation with your liver specialist because we are always looking for ways to avoid further liver injury.  Here are a list of typical steroids that many of us use while living with HBV. They are listed top to bottom, from the least concern to greater concern. Topical steroids – (least concern) creams or ointments applied to the skin for things like eczema and other dermatitis Steroid inhalers – used for asthma and other respiratory

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/having-hbv-and-using-immunosuppressants/
  • Kids, Sports, and Hepatitis B

    It's August, and believe it or not, fall sports for kids are ramping up.  Are you reluctant to allow your child to participate in athletics due to their hepatitis B (HBV)  infection?  Many parents agonize over the potential risk of exposure of their child’s HBV to those unwittingly playing on the field.  Don’t bench your child due to HBV.   Get your child off the couch and out on the field with friends! HBV is not casually transmitted. Hepatitis B is spread through direct contact with infected blood and sexual fluids. The concern is with potential accidents on the field or court that result in bleeding.  Even then, the odds of transmission are unlikley, when you consider it takes the blood of an infected person to come into contact with an open wound, mucous membrane, or orifice.  Regardless, it is a real concern that can be alleviated with some basic prevention methods. Hepatitis B  is vaccine preventable and nearly all states require that children attending school or licensed day care are vaccinated against hepatitis B.  Although there is no way to assure every child is vaccinated, you must consider that your child is likely not the only infected individual in the league.  Many do not even know they are infected since viral hepatitis is often asymptomatic. If your child is older and involved in HS athletics, you’re likely beyond much of this worry. School coaches are trained to manage blood and body fluid spills with infection control practices. The opportunity for HBV vaccination is available and coaches are well aware of risks due to blood borne pathogens. Perhaps the big concern is with little ones playing with hepatitis B.  In a well-organized league, coaches are trained and expected to follow basic prevention methods when dealing with blood and body fluids...  Sideline the player until the bleeding has stopped. Cover the wound, and clean up blood appropriately.  The concern for parents is whether or not the neighborhood dad took the

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/903-2/