Immunization: Tracking the Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine

A series of hepatitis B vaccinations is a routine part of a child’s vaccination schedule, but no one knows how long immunity lasts among children born to healthy mothers. So researchers decided to measure immunity indirectly by testing the response to a booster shot in 378 healthy children and adolescents who had received hepatitis B vaccinations in infancy.

Over all, 99 percent of the children ages 5 to 7 and 83 percent of those ages 10 to 15 who received a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine responded to the booster, meaning that they showed continuing immunity. Among adolescents who had received a plasma-derived vaccine, 69 percent had an antibody response to the new shot. The older the children were, the more likely their immunity was waning: 97 percent of 5-year-olds had an antibody response, compared with 60 percent of 14-year-olds.
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Rebetol!

We guarantee delivery of your Rebetol (Ribavirin) order directly to your door Q Do I need to have the prescription for buying Rebetol?. If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use Rebetol, prescription or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment. PEGINTRON/REBETOL is contraindicated in patients with autoimmune hepatitis, decompensated liver disease, and in patients with hemoglobinopathies read more

Cancer immune escape

Cancers are not viruses, however,and they don’t evade CTL in the same ways. One difference is that cancers evolve from square one each time. When you’re infected by a virus, that virus is the end-product of an unbroken chain of evolution that goes back millions or billions of years;it’s had time to evolve its own specialized molecules, which may or may not have been based on the host genome at some time but is now generally a standalone, distinct gene. Cancers don’t have that history. Each individual cancer arose independently within you,and it only has your lifespan5 in which to experiment with immune evasion.
A part of this selective destruction can lead to cancer immune escape. I’ve talked about the way chronic viruses (like hepatitis C and HIV) alter their protein sequences in such a way as to mutate MHC class I epitopes, so that immunodominant CTL no longer recognize infected cells. Cancers are much like chronic infections and they too mutate immunodominant epitopes, so that CTL can no longer recognize them.8 This is, obviously, a real concern in cancer immunotherapy trials.
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Rare blood virus found in almost 4 in 1,000 in Nunavut

Almost four in every 1,000 people in Nunavut may have a rare, incurable yet preventable virus called HTLV-1, a research report prepared for the Nunavut government has found. Known as the Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type One, HTLV-1 is transmitted through sexual intercourse, breastfeeding, blood-to-blood contact and needle sharing. In less than five per cent of those infected, it can cause cancer of the blood and disorders affecting the bladder, legs and nervous system.
"It's a concern as much as any sexually transmitted disease — as much as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, all these other viruses that are here that are preventable," Osborne told CBC News.
The study, which had its final report published in July, was prepared by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Nunavut Health and Social Services.
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Chronic hepatitis C virus

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with glucose intolerance and, despite that, a favorable lipid pattern, according to findings published in the August issue of Gut. Furthermore, clearance of HCV seems to be facilitated by elevated triglycerides at the time of infection.
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Hepatitis A

The plasma collected from you is extremely vital in the healthcare industry and helps save the lives of future patients diagnosed with Hepatitis A. However, timing is very critical. The antibodies found in your plasma are at their highest level within the first three weeks of your illness. Therefore, if you or anyone that you know have been diagnosed with Hepatitis A, read more

New treatment for chronic hepatitis C leads to less side effects: study

A study result made public Monday by the Chinese University of Hong Kong reveals that combination of interferon beta-1a and ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C creates less side effects.

Chronic hepatitis C is an important cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, the standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C is combination of peginterferon-alfa and ribavirin, which, however, leads to common adverse effects including fever and flu-like symptoms, injection site reaction, depression and bone marrow suppression. This decreases patients' compliance and in turn reduces the treatment effect, the university said.read more

Features of replication suggest viruses have common themes, vulnerabilities

MADISON - A study of the reproductive apparatus of a model virus is bolstering the idea that broad classes of viruses - including those that cause important human diseases such as AIDS, SARS and hepatitis C - have features in common that could eventually make them vulnerable to broad-spectrum antiviral agents.

In a study published today (Aug. 14) in the online, open-access journal Public Library of Science Biology, a team of researchers from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison describes in fine detail how an RNA virus known as flock house virus co-opts a cell's membranes to create an intracellular lair where it can safely replicate its genes.

The results provide strong evidence that at least some of the machinery four of the seven distinct classes of known viruses use to reproduce have common attributes. Such a discovery is important because it reveals a common viral theme that may be vulnerable to disruption and could lead to the development of drugs to treat many different kinds of viral infections, much like antibiotics are used to attack different kinds of bacterial pathogens.read more

About Genelabs Technologies

Genelabs Technologies, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of pharmaceutical products to improve human health. We have built drug discovery capabilities that can support various research and development projects. Genelabs is currently concentrating these capabilities on discovering novel compounds that selectively inhibit replication of the hepatitis C virus and advancing preclinical development of compounds from this hepatitis C virus drug discovery program, while also developing a late-stage product for lupus. We believe that these high-risk, potentially high reward programs focus our research and development expertise in areas where we have the opportunity to generate either first-in-class or best-in-class products that will address diseases for which current therapies are inadequate. For more information, please visit http://www.genelabs.com.read more

Syringe warning after child scare

A BOURNEMOUTH mother is urging families to take care on the beach after her son was pricked by what appeared to be a discarded syringe.

Matthew Gover, 12, pricked his hand as he scrabbled about in the sand at Alum Chine.

His mother checked the sand to see what had injured him and was horrified to discover what she believes is a needle.

They informed the duty lifeguard and spent the next three hours in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, where Matthew was given a blood test.

The Moordown youngster will have to have two further tests in the next couple of months to see whether he has contracted Hepatitis B.
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Albertans know little about risks of hepatitis

EDMONTON - A simple set of vaccinations could protect Albertans against a potentially deadly liver disease, says an Edmonton infectious disease expert.
Hepatitis A is found in the feces of an infected person and usually spreads by close personal contact or by ingesting contaminated food or water.

It is more common in Third World countries with poor sanitation systems.

Roughly half of the Albertans polled recognized activities such as eating at a restaurant, eating fresh produce from the supermarket or swimming in a public pool are risk factors for contracting hepatitis A.

In May, about 2,000 people were vaccinated against hepatitis A after a kitchen worker in a Calgary restaurant was diagnosed with the virus.

Although death from hepatitis A is extremely rare, about 25 per cent of adults who catch the disease end up hospitalized.

Albertans appear to be aware of some of the risk factors for contracting hepatitis B. About 80 per cent of those polled recognized that getting a tattoo or piercing, having unprotected sex or sharing a toothbrush or razor could put them at risk.

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Vaccine tofight Hepatitis-A soon

HYDERABAD: Set to be launched within a week, HAVpur, a vaccine for Hepatitis-A, is part of an emerging trend known as New Generation (NG) vaccines.

Though a Hepatitis-A vaccine has already been available for the past nine years with four Indian companies producing it, HAVpur vaccine of the Swiss company Chiron Panacea is entering into the fray with a claim that their product, developed by celebrated vaccinologist Christian Herzog, offers the least reactogenecity, or post-vaccine reactions like inflammation, and fever.read more

HEPATITIS AND TYPHUS THREATEN BULGARIANS AFTER FLOODS

The regions in Bulgaria affected by floods are potentially threatened by hepatitis A and typhus infections.

These infections will affect the population in flooded regions, in case of lack of water supply or poor personal hygiene, microbiology institute at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) head Angel Gulubov said as quoted by Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

Water from private wells should be examined by regional inspections. Water for drinking and cooking should be boiled, he said.
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Scientists grow human liver cells in mice

Scientists have bred mice that are able to produce human liver cells, a breakthrough which could help in understanding liver diseases and the development and testing of new drugs to treat them.Liver cells from other animals often do not give a complete picture of how drugs are broken down by the body because the processes are species specific.
Human liver cells for experiments can be harvested from transplant livers but this is a scarce and unpredictable resource. Scientists often have to make do with poor-quality samples from cadavers.

According to the researchers, the humanised mouse liver cells work as if they were inside a person, producing all the same blood clotting factors and proteins. They added that the mouse cells could be used to test new therapies against infectious diseases that attack the liver, including hepatitis C and malaria.
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Desist from smokingin public places; tobacco smokers advised

Tobacco smokers have been urged to desist from smoking at public places and among non-smokers as doing so creates health hazards for the public.

Continuous inhaling of tobacco smoke puffed out by smokers has the same health implications as active smoking.
Dr. Afisah Zakariah, Deputy National Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) of GHS, speaking on Hepatitis B said the disease could be contracted through sexual activities.
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August Is Immunization Awareness Month In Michigan

Michigan Department of Community Health recognizes August as Immunization Awareness Month in Michigan.

"Certain vaccines are encouraged from infancy on through to the elderly years," said Janet Olszewski, MDCH Director. "Those traveling abroad and those with compromised immune systems are also encouraged to contact their primary care provider for appropriate immunization recommendations."Many parents do not realize that some childhood vaccines, such as those for tetanus and whooping cough, wear off over time and, as they get older, young people are at risk of exposure to different diseases at school, camp or in other new situations," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, Director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
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Expert advice on cannabis

EACH week our panel of experienced doctors and health professionals tackle all your most pressing health problems. This week they're looking into all manner of problems from the trouble with smoking 'weed' to the damage the Hepatitis B can reek.
Hepatitis is a disease of the liver. It is caused by a virus, but can be caused by long-term overuse of alcohol or other toxins.

Hepatitis can lead to liver damage and an increased risk of liver cancer.
Hepatitis B can pass to babyread more

Wyeth's Worries

A pair of decisions from the Food and Drug Administration and a stopped clinical trial have left drug giant Wyeth without three of the biggest hopes for future growth.

The bad results, the latest of which have sent Wyeth shares down 7.5%, should raise questions about whether Wyeth (nyse: WYE - news - people ) is doing a good job designing studies that answer the FDA's questions about its medicines' safety and efficacy. It also drives home the trouble that large pharmaceutical companies are having inventing new medicines, even as their old moneymakers approach a time when they will no longer have patent protection.

More bad news: Mid-stage trials of a new drug for hepatitis C being developed by Wyeth and biotech Viropharma (nasdaq: VPHM - news - people ) were stopped. An independent safety monitoring board decided that elevated liver enzymes in some patients raised questions about whether the drug was too toxic. Hepatitis C, a virus, is a disease that damages the liver. Viropharma shares plummeted 20%.read more

Woe for Wyeth and Solvay as FDA rejects bifeprunox

Belgium’s Solvay and partner Wyeth’s hopes of launching bifeprunox, their investigational compound for schizophrenia, next year in the USA have been scuppered by US regulators.

The companies have received an action letter from the US Food and Drug Administration which rejects their New Drug Application for bifeprunox, an atypical antipsychotic reviewed for the acute treatment of schizophrenia, as well as the maintenance of stable adult patients. The agency stated that bifeprunox demonstrated effectiveness in the long-term maintenance study, and indicated that a second study could be sufficient to support a maintenance claim for the compound, but has concluded that “efficacy data, when compared to reference drugs, were not sufficient for approval”.
There was some more bad news for Wyeth after the firm and partner ViroPharma announced that they will discontinue dosing patients in Phase II trial of its hepatitis C treatment candidate HCV-796, citing safety concerns. The decision follows a review by a joint safety review board which found that around 8% of patients receiving HCV-796 in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin had elevated liver enzymes. read more