Take matter on priority basis: SHC

Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to provincial Health Secretary, IG Prisons and others on a petition pertaining to the medical treatment of prisoners suffering from Hepatitis B & C at Khairpur prison.

The court also directed IG Prisons and Jail Superintendent to take the matter on priority basis and initiate practical steps to control the spread of the disease.

SHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Faisal Arab, expressed dissatisfaction over the existing health facilities in jails, also sought positive proposals from the enlightened members of civil society for providing better health facilities to prisoners suffering from Hepatitis B & C as well as controlling other fatal diseases. read more

Human Genome Sciences Completes Enrollment of First Phase III Albuferon Trial

Human Genome Sciences announced that it has completed enrollment and initial dosing ahead of schedule in ACHIEVE 1, the first of two pivotal Phase III trials of Albuferon in combination with ribavirin in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Human Genome Sciences and Novartis are codeveloping Albuferon (albinterferon alfa-2b) under an exclusive worldwide agreement made in June 2006.

According to Human Genome Sciences, 1,331 patients at 150 clinical sites in 12 countries have been enrolled and randomized in ACHIEVE 1. ACHIEVE 2/3 was initiated in February, and will enroll and randomize a minimum of 918 patients with genotypes 2 and 3 chronic hepatitis C, the company added. read more

Vietnam:Korean Hepatitis B vaccines killed three childern

Additionally, deputy health minister Cao Minh Quang recently said that Korean Hepatitis B vaccines suspected to have killed three children in April and May were found to be safe by both French and Vietnamese labs.

Since May, the ministry has suspended the use of the vaccines supplied by Korean LG Life Company throughout Vietnam.read more

Growth in Cuban Biotechnology

The Cuban biotechnology sector has seen growth totalling 162 million Cuban pesos over the past two years, 75 million in 2005 and 87 million in 2006.
One of the leading products is the Hepatitis B vaccine. 170 million doses have been produced to date, and the Cuban product has been used in many WHO campaigns.
The sector produces numerous drugs which not only serve public health in Cuba, but also constitute the country's second largest export area.read more

Hospital launches infection investigation

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a gynaecologist who was a carrier of the hepatitis C virus operated on patients working at Boston's Pilgrim Hospital.
The hospital refused to name the surgeon, but revealed the period of the suspected risk ran from early 2000 to July 2007.
Of the 62 women possibly affected, 53 have so far been tracked down and tested.
In a statement released this morning (Thursday) the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "This gynaecologist who was a carrier of the hepatitis C virus has previously passed on this infection to a small number of patients, one of whom went on to develop liver disease and tragically died.
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Possibly 500 Dutch patients infected with HIV, hepatitis B or C

Amsterdam - Some 500 patients of hospitals in Oss and Veghel in the southern Netherlands have possibly been infected with the HIV virus or hepatitis B or C, Dutch press reports said Friday city hospital and health authorities.

On Thursday the regional daily newspaper Brabants Dagblad reported the possible infection took place due to inadequate disinfection machines.

Both hospitals were the first in the Netherlands to purchase a new type of washing machine used to disinfect medical equipment. read more

Infection Canine Hepatitis

Canine hepatitis is a disease of the liver and other body organs caused by canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1). The virus is found worldwide and is spread by body fluids including nasal discharge and urine. Recovered patients can shed the virus for up to nine months in the urine. The primary mode of transmission is by direct contact with an infected dog. Contaminated runs, cages, dishes, hands, boots, etc. can also serve as a source of transmission.read more

Toray Progress in Development of Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine

Tokyo, Aug 27, 2007 (JCN) - Toray Industries <3402> announced on August 22 that the company confirmed for the first time in the world that hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles produced using a novel HCV culture system inactivated have the potential for practical use as an HCV vaccine in experiments using mice.

The culture system was established through the company's joint research on the development of an HCV vaccine with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience (TMIN), Tokyo Metropolitan Organization for Medical Research.

Since its 2005 world-first in vitro cultivation of HCV with TMIN, Toray has been seeking the potential of HCV particlest for use as an HCV vaccine in collaboration with NIID. read more

Let's prey the brave girl

Charlotte Worton.AN inspirational 16-year-old who revised while recovering from a liver transplant is celebrating after passing her GCSEs.

Who had a rare condition called autoimmune hepatitis - an inflammation of the liver - had her first transplant at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

She was fine until last September.

But she had to go into hospital because her eyes started to go a tinge of yellow.
She did a biopsy and they said her body was rejecting her liver.

Despite doctors trying different medication, Charlotte's condition deteriorated and at one point her name was removed from the transplant list because she was so ill.

She battled through and had a second transplant.

Charlotte said she has never felt better and in September is returning to Stourport High School to do her A-levels, which she hopes to use to become a social worker or counsellor, helping other people recover from organ transplants.
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Pakistani's sewerage

A World Bank engineer of Pakistani origin, extremely knowledgeable about Pakistan’s infrastructures, has been obsessed with disposal of sewerage and waste. He contends that all sewerage and waste is either being dumped or consumed within the population centres or is being thrown in the rivers, canals and watercourses. Consequently, forty percent of the population is afflicted with Hepatitis B or C and the country is the highest consumer of antibiotics. If the trend continues, every section of Pakistani society will be unhealthy and the average age will decline sharply.read more

FDA Approves New Roche Diagnostics Blood Screening

Roche Diagnostics is the leading provider of PCR-based nucleic acid tests for the international blood bank market. Nucleic acid-based tests enable more highly sensitive detection of active HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B infections than conventional antibody or antigen assays. Roche assays have been used by the Japanese Red Cross since 1999 to screen Japan's entire blood supply. In 2006, Roche launched the automated cobas s 201 system and the 5-parameter multiplex cobas TaqScreen MPX Test in Europe for the most comprehensive single-assay detection of HIV-1 groups M & O, HIV-2, and Hepatitis B and C in donated blood and plasma. The West Nile Virus test is the first test available on the automated cobas s 201 system in the US, where the multiplex HIV, HCV, and HBV test is currently under FDA review.read more

Iran manufactures hepatitis C cure

Iranian pharmaceutical researchers have managed to manufacture polyethylene glycol molecule, a key substance in treating hepatitis C.

This molecule is used in the pegylated interferon combination therapy.

Dr. Seyyed Mohsen Nayebpour, deputy head of The Growth Center for Pharmaceutical Technology Units at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, told Mehr news agency that while working on the process of manufacturing pegylated interferon, scientists were able to discover how polyethylene glycol is produced. read more

Wash your hands of germs

Most germs found on the hands are harmless, but bacteria and viruses responsible for everyday illnesses, such as colds and stomach upsets, are easily transferred from hand to hand and then onto every surface.

The spread of these and more serious illnesses, such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A,hepatitis B and most types of infectious diarrhea, can be stopped by the simple act of washing your hands.
Wash them thoroughly several times a day with soap and warm water, especially after the following activities: before eating or handling food; after using the lava-tory, blow-ing your nose, coughing or sneezing; after touching animals, rubbish or changing a nappy; and before and after visiting or taking care of any sick friends or relatives. read more

Angelina Jolie Hepatitis

Star Magazine reports that Brad Pitt fears that ninety pound Angelina Jolie is suffering from the liver disease Hepatitis.

According to the Star source, Brad “convinced Angelina to go see a doctor because he was afraid something was very wrong with her. She doesn’t have much of an appetite and is eating very little.”

“Tests were run and Brad’s family were led to believe that her illness might be something like hepatitis, but since then he’s clammed up, I think he knows what’s wrong, but he’s keeping it from people.” read more

Immunisation

Oil India Limited, Duliajan, has immunised more than 7,000 primary school students with Hepatitis-B vaccines free of cost in Namsai sub-division of Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The two-week-long programme started on August 7. All primary school students, including government and private schools, were provided the first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine.

Namsai legislator Chow Pingthika Namchoom, additional deputy commissioner R.K. Sharma and panchayat leaders have applauded the immunisation drive. Sharma requested the OIL authorities to provide the Hepatitis B vaccines for the students of Lekang and Wakro circles so that entire Namsai sub-division could be covered under this programme. read more

Hepatitis risk at trade show

Whatcom County residents who attended the 43rd annual USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show in San Jose, Calif., earlier this month might have been exposed to hepatitis A.

The Whatcom County Health Department issued an alert Monday after learning of the Hepatitis risk and that local residents may have been in attendance.

Anyone who drank fruit smoothies distributed by the Jump Sport booth at the trade show Aug. 16 and 17 or who ate or drank at the Jamba Juice store at 1140 Lincoln Ave. there might have been exposed by an employee, according to the health department. read more

Smoothies at gymnastics event may have been tainted with hepatitis A

From a Times Staff Writer Complimentary smoothies handed out at the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show at the HP Pavilion on Aug. 16 and 17 may have been contaminated with hepatitis A, state health officials said Monday.

The smoothies, provided at the JumpSport booth, were prepared at a Willow Glen-area Jamba Juice by an employee diagnosed with hepatitis A.

Though the risk appears minimal, the California Department of Public Health said that people who consumed the drinks should monitor their health. read more

About Albuferon

Albuferon is a novel long-acting form of interferon alpha created by HGS using its proprietary albumin fusion technology. Albuferon results from the genetic fusion of human albumin and interferon alpha. Human albumin is the most prevalent naturally occurring blood protein in the human circulatory system, persisting in circulation in the body for more than 20 days. Research shows that genetic fusion of therapeutic proteins to human albumin decreases clearance and prolongs the half-life of the proteins. Recombinant interferon alpha is approved for the treatment of hepatitis C, hepatitis B and a number of cancers.read more

Onyx: Nexavar trial shows potential

It's higher in the Asia-Pacific region, because of a greater prevalence of hepatitis B hepatitis C infection which causes the number of liver cancer incidence to rise.

Nexavar is seen as a drug with great potential because it is often compared to the blockbuster drug Avastin, manufactured by biotechnology giant Genentech. Both drugs target a tumor cell's ability to grow by cutting off its blood supply. One potential advantage Nexavar has over Avastin, is that it's taken orally versus intravenously at a medical clinc.

Last year the Nexavar was given "fast track" status, which allows the approval process to be sped up.

This designation is given to drugs that treat serious or life-threatening diseases where there is an unmet medical need. Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world, and is the most prevalent in developing countries.read more

Hepatitis in Dogs

Hepatitis, a disease of the liver that is seen in several animals, including humans, is caused by a viral infection. Canine hepatitis is caused by the virus designated CAV-1 which is seen only in dogs. Humans and other animals are not at risk to contract hepatitis from the CAV-1 virus.

Once a dog is infected, there is no treatment that will destroy the CAV-1 virus. There is no cure. There is, however, a very good vaccine that can be given to puppies when they start their series of inoculations. The vaccine has greatly reduced incidents of canine hepatitis in the United States and Western Europe.

Like many viruses, CAV-1 first localizes and replicates in the lymph nodes and spreads into the bloodstream from there. Once in the blood, CAV-1 attacks several organs, most notably the liver, eyes, and kidneys. Although hepatitis is a very serious disease, not all cases of CAV-1 infection lead to it and not all are serious. Some dogs show few or no symptoms after being infected. Some, on the other hand, especially young puppies, become seriously ill.read more