Hepatitis C is considered to be quite a tricky disease, due to the fact that the virus acts in silence and can infect a person for many years until doctors find out. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), has declared Hepatitis C to be a "silent epidemic" and it seems that 20 to 30 % people affected of chronic Hepatitis C are exposed to future life threatening symptoms.
Hepatitis C was first observed in US in 1960, after blood transfusions and drug injections began to be widely applied. Nobody knew exactly how many people got affected by the disease, until 1990 when HCV blood tests have developed. Studies have proved that in 20 years a person affected of chronicle C Hepatitis will develop cirrhosis, and many of them will turn into liver cancer. Patients with HCV are considered to be in need for a liver transplant.......
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Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Unspecific Character of Hepatitis C Symptoms
Hepatitis C generally refers to infection of the liver. The disease has an incubation stage of up to six months, and patients often have no clear symptoms over this period of time. In some cases the symptoms of hepatitis C occur after a few months from the moment of infection, while in other cases the symptoms of hepatitis C occur after more than a year, when the disease becomes chronic.
Due to the unspecific character of most symptoms produced by hepatitis C, the process of establishing the accurate diagnosis is very complicated and time consuming for doctors.Careful blood analyses are considered to be the most reliable method of tracing clear signs of hepatitis C in patients with suspected hepatitis. Liver biopsy is another useful medical procedure that can indicate the presence of infection with HCV and that can also provide doctors with additional information regarding the progression of the disease.
And it have two stages......read more
Due to the unspecific character of most symptoms produced by hepatitis C, the process of establishing the accurate diagnosis is very complicated and time consuming for doctors.Careful blood analyses are considered to be the most reliable method of tracing clear signs of hepatitis C in patients with suspected hepatitis. Liver biopsy is another useful medical procedure that can indicate the presence of infection with HCV and that can also provide doctors with additional information regarding the progression of the disease.
And it have two stages......read more
Hepatitis A Exams & Tests
Tests can accurately diagnose whether you've been infected. Your health care provider may perform a physical exam to see if you have an enlarged and tender liver. Blood tests can detect the presence of hepatitis by measuring:
Bilirubin - Normally, your liver metabolizes this residue of worn-out red cells, and you excrete it in your urine. Hepatitis interferes with your liver's ability to metabolize bilirubin, leading to higher levels in your blood.
Enzyme levels - Your doctor may also look for elevated blood levels of enzymes known as aminotransferases, which are released when your liver is damaged.
If tests confirm the presence of hepatitis, your health care provider may still need to take another blood test called a radioimmunoassay to pinpoint the exact type of hepatitis you have. This test identifies:
Antibodies your immune system has formed in response to the presence of antigens
Proteins that are unique to a particular virus read more
Bilirubin - Normally, your liver metabolizes this residue of worn-out red cells, and you excrete it in your urine. Hepatitis interferes with your liver's ability to metabolize bilirubin, leading to higher levels in your blood.
Enzyme levels - Your doctor may also look for elevated blood levels of enzymes known as aminotransferases, which are released when your liver is damaged.
If tests confirm the presence of hepatitis, your health care provider may still need to take another blood test called a radioimmunoassay to pinpoint the exact type of hepatitis you have. This test identifies:
Antibodies your immune system has formed in response to the presence of antigens
Proteins that are unique to a particular virus read more
Pittsburgh Area Blood Bank Running Low, In Need Of Donors
Donors are not eligible if they've had hepatitis during their adulthood, are pregnant or if they've ever tested positive for HIV, had intimate contact with anyone at-risk for AIDS or have engaged in at-risk behavior themselves.
There is urgency in the need for local blood donations.
Doctors said the supply squeeze would quickly be lessened if qualified donors gave just a little more.
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There is urgency in the need for local blood donations.
Doctors said the supply squeeze would quickly be lessened if qualified donors gave just a little more.
read more
Recommended viccine for kids
Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that can be spread by close personal contact or sometimes by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
The recommendation is that children under 13 years of age receive a chicken pox booster. It is called the varicella vaccine, and previously it was given at age 1. Now the new recommendation is to give a booster [a second shot] between ages 4 and 6.
the hepatitis vaccine was recommended to be given to children living in areas that were at high risk for hepatitis. But beginning last year, it was recommended that the two-dose vaccine be given to every child between the ages of 12 [months] to 23 months. A "catch-up" vaccine can be considered for those over age 2 [who did not receive the vaccine].
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The recommendation is that children under 13 years of age receive a chicken pox booster. It is called the varicella vaccine, and previously it was given at age 1. Now the new recommendation is to give a booster [a second shot] between ages 4 and 6.
the hepatitis vaccine was recommended to be given to children living in areas that were at high risk for hepatitis. But beginning last year, it was recommended that the two-dose vaccine be given to every child between the ages of 12 [months] to 23 months. A "catch-up" vaccine can be considered for those over age 2 [who did not receive the vaccine].
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Hepatitis C Virus
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a common co-infection with HIV among injection drug users, but historically it has not appeared to be readily transmitted sexually, and so is relatively rare among gay men. But an increase in HCV infection among HIV-positive gay men in Europe is calling that into question.
A presentation last month by Mark Danta and colleagues at the International AIDS Society conference in Sydney looked in detail at the genetic sequences of the HCV infections of 188 HIV-positive gay men in England, Holland, Germany, and France. It found 10 distinct HCV clusters of infection, ranging in size from three to 36 individuals.
The authors concluded that the HCV transmissions were the result of increased travel associated with high-risk behaviors of the men. Previous studies have noted the association between transmission of HCV and a high number of sexual partners, increased incidence of other sexually transmitted diseases, the use of party drugs such as cocaine and crystal meth, and engaging in SM-associated sexual practices.
read more
A presentation last month by Mark Danta and colleagues at the International AIDS Society conference in Sydney looked in detail at the genetic sequences of the HCV infections of 188 HIV-positive gay men in England, Holland, Germany, and France. It found 10 distinct HCV clusters of infection, ranging in size from three to 36 individuals.
The authors concluded that the HCV transmissions were the result of increased travel associated with high-risk behaviors of the men. Previous studies have noted the association between transmission of HCV and a high number of sexual partners, increased incidence of other sexually transmitted diseases, the use of party drugs such as cocaine and crystal meth, and engaging in SM-associated sexual practices.
read more
Immunization Education Often Overlooked During Prenatal Visits
"Studies have shown that parents would like more information about vaccines and we thought the prenatal period offered a unique opportunity to give women [this information]," said Navar, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The authors discovered that 32 percent of obstetric practices provided hepatitis B vaccine information and 23 percent provided information on other routine childhood vaccines.read more
The authors discovered that 32 percent of obstetric practices provided hepatitis B vaccine information and 23 percent provided information on other routine childhood vaccines.read more
Shining light on UV tattoos
In a sea of tattoos, this one glows in all the right places.
But tattoo studios in Canada are divided over the use of UV pigments, which have cropped up in North America and Japan in the past two years. Use of the inks is illegal in this country, Health Canada says
Provincial legislation governs the health and safety standards of tattoo studios and does not deal with ink products. Recently, Durham Region health officials urged as many as 2,000 people to get blood tests for HIV and hepatitis B and C over concerns that they may have been exposed to unsterilized equipment at an Oshawa tattoo parlour.
There's no specific regulation for the ink itself in Toronto tattoo studios, according to Manisa Jiaravuthisan, with Toronto Public Health. But there is legislation that outlines minimum requirements for tattoo studios so they can prevent blood-borne infections. This legislation is under review to bring it up to date, Jiaravuthisan says.
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Nokia China faces lawsuit over rejection of Hepatitis-B carrier
The Chinese unit of the Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia is facing legal action for alleged workplace discrimination. The legal proceedings started in the city of Dongguan in Southern China on Wednesday.
This is reported to be the first case in China in which a multinational company has been accused of discriminating against a Hepatitis-B carrier. As many as 120 million Chinese citizens are carriers of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) - nearly one in ten of the world’s largest population.
Even though the virus is reported not to be contagious under normal circumstances, about half of all Chinese workers refuse to work with HBV carriers, according to a survey conducted in the country in May. Hence HBV carriers often face discrimination in China. The first court case arising out of workplace discrimination on these grounds was heard there only as recently as 2003.
"This case will make the problem known publicly. It will also teach HBV carriers how to defend their legal rights", said Lu Ju, an HBV activist, who is assisting Li in the lawsuit.
The court is expected to hand down its decision on the Dongguan case in the next few weeks. read more
This is reported to be the first case in China in which a multinational company has been accused of discriminating against a Hepatitis-B carrier. As many as 120 million Chinese citizens are carriers of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) - nearly one in ten of the world’s largest population.
Even though the virus is reported not to be contagious under normal circumstances, about half of all Chinese workers refuse to work with HBV carriers, according to a survey conducted in the country in May. Hence HBV carriers often face discrimination in China. The first court case arising out of workplace discrimination on these grounds was heard there only as recently as 2003.
"This case will make the problem known publicly. It will also teach HBV carriers how to defend their legal rights", said Lu Ju, an HBV activist, who is assisting Li in the lawsuit.
The court is expected to hand down its decision on the Dongguan case in the next few weeks. read more
About Hepatitis C and ChronVac-C
Hepatitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis. HCV is spread primarily by direct contact with human blood, the major causes worldwide being the use of unscreened blood transfusions and re-use of inadequately sterilized needles and syringes.
HCV infections in the liver do not trigger an immune response very effectively. Certain antiviral therapies, while expensive, are somewhat effective in treating hepatitis C, but there is no vaccine currently available to prevent hepatitis C. ChronVac-C(R) is designed to be a therapeutic DNA vaccine that can stimulate the body's immune system. Animal experiments have demonstrated that ChronVac-C vaccination activated B-cells and T-cells (the latter being regarded as the most significant to clearing the chronic infection relating to hepatitis C) that killed cells producing HCV protein. In humans, the ChronVac-C DNA plasmid will be injected into muscle tissue, where vaccinations are usually given, and taken up by muscle cells with the assistance of Inovio's electroporation-based DNA delivery system. These muscle cells would be expected to then produce predetermined proteins that may activate the body's immune system to attack all cells producing HCV proteins. read more
HCV infections in the liver do not trigger an immune response very effectively. Certain antiviral therapies, while expensive, are somewhat effective in treating hepatitis C, but there is no vaccine currently available to prevent hepatitis C. ChronVac-C(R) is designed to be a therapeutic DNA vaccine that can stimulate the body's immune system. Animal experiments have demonstrated that ChronVac-C vaccination activated B-cells and T-cells (the latter being regarded as the most significant to clearing the chronic infection relating to hepatitis C) that killed cells producing HCV protein. In humans, the ChronVac-C DNA plasmid will be injected into muscle tissue, where vaccinations are usually given, and taken up by muscle cells with the assistance of Inovio's electroporation-based DNA delivery system. These muscle cells would be expected to then produce predetermined proteins that may activate the body's immune system to attack all cells producing HCV proteins. read more
Inovio Biomedical Partner Tripep Receives Approval to Initiate Phase I/II Study of Novel Vaccine for Hepatitis C Virus
SAN DIEGO-(Business Wire)-August 16, 2007 - Inovio Biomedical Corporation (AMEX:INO), a leader in enabling the development of DNA vaccines using electroporation-based DNA delivery, announced today that its partner, Tripep AB of Sweden, received approvals from the Swedish Medical Products Agency and local ethics committees to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial of a novel DNA vaccine designed to treat chronically infected hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients.
DNA-based immunotherapies including DNA vaccines have the potential to by-pass inherent scientific obstacles of conventional vaccines that prevent their development for cancer and chronic infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. Pre-clinical data has indicated the ability of Inovio's technologies to effectively deliver and significantly enhance the potency of such immunotherapies without the potential safety concerns of viral systems. read more
DNA-based immunotherapies including DNA vaccines have the potential to by-pass inherent scientific obstacles of conventional vaccines that prevent their development for cancer and chronic infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. Pre-clinical data has indicated the ability of Inovio's technologies to effectively deliver and significantly enhance the potency of such immunotherapies without the potential safety concerns of viral systems. read more
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