http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/HepatitisB-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 06:12:09 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/hepatitis-c-drug-linked-to-depression-100795-1.htm Interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus infection causes depression, shows study. In a review article, researchers tackle the complexities of diagnosing and managing depression before and after initiating treatment with interferon. Dr. Murali S. Rao of Loyola University Medical Center is a co-author of the study, published in the IInternational Journal of Interferon, Cytokine and Mediator Research. /I Hepatitis C is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/hepatitis-c-drug-linked-to-depression-100795-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-liver-cancer-high-among-those-with-family-history-100616-1.htm The risk of developing hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) is high among those who have a definite history of liver cancer in their families. The study also showed 70-fold elevated risk of HCC in those with liver cancer in the family and markers for hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV). Liver cancer ranks sixth in incidence and the third cause of mortality worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) liver cancer was responsible for 700,000 deaths in 2008, with HBV and HCV accounting for 78 percent of all cases of HCC....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-liver-cancer-high-among-those-with-family-history-100616-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-atherosclerosis-increases-in-hepatitis-c-patients-with-fibrosis-100610-1.htm Patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have a high risk of suffering from early atherosclerosis if there is a presence of severe fibrosis, a new study by Italian researchers reveals. A second study found that fatty liver disease also increases risk of developing atherosclerosis at an earlier period. Both studies appear in the May issue of iHepatology/i, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-atherosclerosis-increases-in-hepatitis-c-patients-with-fibrosis-100610-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/obese-kids-more-at-risk-of-developing-liver-cancer-in-adulthood-100381-1.htm Children who are obese are more likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) - the most common form of liver cancer in adulthood, according to a research. The Danish study monitored birth weight and BMI at school age of 165,540 men and 160,883 women born between 1930 and 1989. The study authors calculated and compared the risk of developing HCC from the 252 participants that had developed HCC at follow-up. At age 7 the risk of developing HCC increased by 1.12 per unit of increase in BMI; however, at age 13 this risk increased to 1....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/obese-kids-more-at-risk-of-developing-liver-cancer-in-adulthood-100381-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-in-moderation-halves-hepatitis-risk-100348-1.htm People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) who consume alcohol in modest amounts, no more than one or two servings per day, are half as likely to develop hepatitis as non-drinkers with the same condition, a new study has claimed. NALFD is the most common liver disease in the United States, affecting up to one third of American adults. It is characterized by abnormal fat accumulation in the liver. The specific cause or causes is not known, though obesity and diabetes are risk factors....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alcohol-in-moderation-halves-hepatitis-risk-100348-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-for-liver-cancer-in-hepatitis-b-infected-patients-may-be-predicted-by-new-biomarker-99779-1.htm A new study has revealed that patients with hepatitis B who had significantly longer telomeres were found to have an increased risk of developing liver cancer compared to those with shorter ones. Telomeres are the caps on the end of chromosomes that protect genetic data. These findings were presented by researchers at A HREF="http:www.kimmelcancercenter.org"Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center/A at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012. The relative telomere ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-for-liver-cancer-in-hepatitis-b-infected-patients-may-be-predicted-by-new-biomarker-99779-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/diabetes-drug-metformin-may-protect-from-liver-cancer-99554-1.htm Metformin, a oral drug prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes, may protect against liver cancer, finds a study. The study, led by Geoffrey Girnun, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is one more in an ongoing look at the effect of metformin in cancer prevention. However, it is one of the first to evaluate liver cancer. "Since many of the effects of the drug take place in the liver, we ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/diabetes-drug-metformin-may-protect-from-liver-cancer-99554-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/asia-and-africa-over-20-million-individuals-infected-with-hepatitis-e-99499-1.htm Around 20.1 million individuals were infected with hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 1 and 2 across 9 world regions in 2005, new research funded by the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated. According to findings available in the April issue of iHepatology/i, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, there were 3.4 million symptomatic cases, 70,000 deaths, and 3,000 stillbirths from HEV that year in countries throughout Asia and Africa....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/asia-and-africa-over-20-million-individuals-infected-with-hepatitis-e-99499-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/research-says-liver-cancer-patients-less-likely-to-die-on-wait-list-than-candidates-without-cancer-99276-1.htm There is increasing disparity in mortality among candidates with and without liver cancer who are on the waiting list for liver transplantation, says a new research. The study available in the April issue of ILiver Transplantation/I, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, found that liver cancer patients are less likely to die on the wait list than non-HCC candidates, prompting transplantation specialists to suggest a ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/research-says-liver-cancer-patients-less-likely-to-die-on-wait-list-than-candidates-without-cancer-99276-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/broader-screening-for-hepatitis-c-98957-1.htm A new report says that broader screening to identify people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) would likely be cost effective. The report is published in IClinical Infectious Diseases/I and available A HREF="http:cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/02/27/cid.cis011.abstract"online/A. Significantly reducing HCV-related mortality and morbidity, however, will require a coordinated effort that emphasizes not only increased testing but also linking those infected with the treatment they need....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/broader-screening-for-hepatitis-c-98957-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/novel-compound-that-kills-liver-cancer-identified-98845-1.htm A new compound that kills hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells has been discovered by scientists. HCC is the most common form of liver cancer and fifth most common cancer worldwide, while sparing healthy tissue. The compound, Factor Qunolinone Inhibitor 1 (FQI1), works by inhibiting an oncogene originally discovered by a team of researchers led by Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., Harrison Scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Massey Cancer Center, Blick Scholar and assistant professor ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/novel-compound-that-kills-liver-cancer-identified-98845-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/faster-cheaper-hepatitis-c-test-designed-98844-1.htm A faster and cheaper test for all types of hepatitis C has been designed by researchers. The development "reduces the two-step testing process carried out over a number of days to a one-step process that takes less than an hour... at a fraction of the cost of traditional diagnostic protocols," the university said. The liquid chemistry test can diagnose hepatitis C using gold nanoparticles, it said. "Our test is sensitive and inexpensive, and it does not need sophisticated equipment," ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/faster-cheaper-hepatitis-c-test-designed-98844-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/diabetic-patients-recommended-to-get-vaccinated-against-hepatitis-b-infection-98258-1.htm The higher incidence of Hepatitis B infection reported in adults diagnosed with diabetes had set the Hepatitis Vaccines Work Group of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) into action to evaluate the risk for infection in adults diagnosed with diabetes. An analysis of 865 cases of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection had indicated that the bdiabetic patients between 23 and 59 years of age were 2.1 times more prone to HBV infection than those without diabetes....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/diabetic-patients-recommended-to-get-vaccinated-against-hepatitis-b-infection-98258-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/accurate-diagnosis-of-cirrhosis-from-recurrent-hepatitis-c-possible-with-ultrasound-technology-98207-1.htm Mayo Clinic researchers confirm that ultrasound-based transient elastography (TE) provides excellent diagnostic accuracy for detecting cirrhosis caused by recurrent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation. Findings from the study published in the March issue of ILiver Transplantation/I, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, suggest that detection of significant fibrosis is more accurate when comparing patients with chronic HCV of the native liver....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/accurate-diagnosis-of-cirrhosis-from-recurrent-hepatitis-c-possible-with-ultrasound-technology-98207-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/mortality-from-hepatitis-c-greater-than-that-of-hivaids-cdc-97959-1.htm New figures released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that the number of deaths due to Hepatitis C infection was greater than HIV/AIDS in the United States in 2007. According to the report, published in the Annals of Medicine, more than 15,000 people died due to Hepatitis C infection in 2007 compared to just over 12,700 deaths due to HIV/AIDS. In total, more than 21.8 million death certificates were issued between 1999 and 2007 with Hepatitis C related deaths accounting for 0....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/mortality-from-hepatitis-c-greater-than-that-of-hivaids-cdc-97959-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/benefits-of-treatment-outweigh-costs-in-advanced-hepatitis-97887-1.htm Stanford University health policy researchers say that a (Dollor) 60,000 bill, a year of fierce, flu-like symptoms and a running risk of depression, which are among the possible costs of two new hepatitis C treatments might be worth it. Using a computer model of hepatitis C disease - which accounts for different treatments, outcomes, disease stages and genetics - a research team led by Jeremy Goldhaber-Fiebert, PhD, found that new triple-therapies for genotype-1 hepatitis C are cost-effective for patients with advanced disease....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/benefits-of-treatment-outweigh-costs-in-advanced-hepatitis-97887-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/hepatitis-c-risk-from-amateur-tattoos-97250-1.htm ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/hepatitis-c-risk-from-amateur-tattoos-97250-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-reveal-1-in-100-people-have-natural-genetic-resistance-to-hiv-malaria-leprosy-and-hepatitis-97245-1.htm One per cent of the population have a natural genetic resistance to deadly diseases like HIV, malaria, leprosy and hepatitis, scientists have revealed. The findings came after research into anthrax found susceptibility to the acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis varied from person to person. There are effective vaccines against anthrax and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotic treatment. However, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-reveal-1-in-100-people-have-natural-genetic-resistance-to-hiv-malaria-leprosy-and-hepatitis-97245-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-may-act-as-catalyst-for-hepatitis-research-97058-1.htm Hepatitis C is a mysterious disease as it has different effects on different people. It can also cause inflammation and organ failure. But no one is sure why some people are very susceptible to the infection, while others are resistant. Scientists believe that if they could study liver cells from different people in the lab, they could determine how genetic differences produce these varying responses. However, liver cells are difficult to obtain and notoriously difficult to grow in a lab ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/stem-cells-may-act-as-catalyst-for-hepatitis-research-97058-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/cell-permeable-peptide-impeding-hepatitis-c-virus-keyed-97013-1.htm Researchers have now found a cell-permeable peptide, which obstructs a hepatitis C virus protein and bars viral replication that can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis. This finding by Dr. Samuel French, an assistant professor of pathology and senior author of the study, builds on previous work by the French laboratory that identified two cellular proteins that are important factors in hepatitis C virus infection. French and his team initially set out to identify the cellular factors involved ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/cell-permeable-peptide-impeding-hepatitis-c-virus-keyed-97013-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/recommendations-for-hpv-and-hepatitis-b-vaccinations-broadened-in-2012-adult-immunization-schedule-96992-1.htm Routine HPV vaccination for males aged 11 to 12 years and catch-up vaccination for males aged 13 to 21 has been recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). These are just two of the changes to the 2012 Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule being published February 1 in IAnnals of Internal Medicine/I (A HREF="http:www.annals.org"www.annals.org/A), the flagship journal of the American College of Physicians (ACP). In addition to the changes in the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/recommendations-for-hpv-and-hepatitis-b-vaccinations-broadened-in-2012-adult-immunization-schedule-96992-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-identify-entry-point-for-hepatitis-c-96605-1.htm A molecule embedded in membrane of human liver cells allows the entry of hepatitis C virus, reveals research. The cholesterol receptor offers a promising new target for anti-viral therapy, for which an approved drug may already exist, say the researchers, whose findings were reported online in advance of publication in INature Medicine/I. An estimated 4.1 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C virus, or HCV, which attacks the liver and leads to inflammation, according to the National Institutes of Health....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/researchers-identify-entry-point-for-hepatitis-c-96605-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Gender-Differences-in-Liver-Cancer-Risk-Explained-by-Small-Changes-in-Genome-96491-1.htm Previous research has indicated that men are four times more likely to develop liver cancer compared to women. This difference has been attributed to the sex hormones androgen and estrogen. Although this gender difference has been known for a long time, the molecular mechanisms by which estrogens prevent -- and androgens promote -- liver cancer remain unclear.Now, new research, published in iCell/i this week from the lab of Klaus Kaestner, PhD, professor of Genetics in the Perelman School ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Gender-Differences-in-Liver-Cancer-Risk-Explained-by-Small-Changes-in-Genome-96491-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Soon-New-Therapies-to-Treat-Hepatitis-C-96310-1.htm A novel method to block hepatitis C virus lifecycle has been discovered by scientists. More than 170 million people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, the disease caused by chronic HCV infection. The disease affects the liver and is one of the leading causes of liver cancer and liver transplant around the world. HCV is spread by blood-to-blood contact and there is no vaccine to prevent it. Current treatments for the disease are only moderately effective and can cause serious side effects....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Soon-New-Therapies-to-Treat-Hepatitis-C-96310-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Accuracy-of-Diagnosis-in-Hepatitis-C-Enhanced-by-New-Fibrosis-Classification-96054-1.htm A report has revealed that a new classification for diagnosing fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has shown to be as accurate as currently used algorithms, but required no further liver biopsy. The study appearing in the January issue of iHepatology/i, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, details a method that synchronously combines two fibrosis tests, providing a non-invasive and more precise fibrosis diagnosis....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Accuracy-of-Diagnosis-in-Hepatitis-C-Enhanced-by-New-Fibrosis-Classification-96054-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Hepatitis-E-Vaccine-Approved-in-China-96046-1.htm The first hepatitis E vaccine has been developed and approved for use in China. Hepatitis E is a viral disease causing inflammation of the liver. In China, it is the most common type of hepatitis affecting adults. It is a waterborne disease and spreads through intake of food and water contaminated with feces. It often occurs in the form of epidemics. bPoor sanitation is one of the main reasons for spread of hepatitis E. /b Features of hepatitis E infection include jaundice, loss ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Hepatitis-E-Vaccine-Approved-in-China-96046-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Hepatitis-B-Carrier-Exchanges-Roses-For-Kisses-95769-1.htm A Chinese woman hit upon a novel idea to raise awareness about the hepatitis B virus carriers. Zhang Wen, dressed in a low-backed wedding dress, stood at Guanggu Square in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, on January 3. Shivering in the cold wind, she held 10 roses and asked for kisses from male passers-by, with a friend standing nearby holding a board saying, 'Kiss me for a rose in exchange'. It also said 'I'm an HBV (hepatitis B virus) carrier, I also long for love'. According ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Hepatitis-B-Carrier-Exchanges-Roses-For-Kisses-95769-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Obesity-Hepatitis-C-Infection-Linked-to-Liver-Cancer-Risk-95723-1.htm People who are overweight and those infected with hepatitis C are at an increased risk of developing deadly liver cancer, say scientists. Two recent Mayo Clinic studies offer a clearer picture of the rise of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer, which has tripled in the U.S. in the last three decades and has a 10 to 12 percent five-year survival rate when detected in later stages. "The studies illuminate the importance of identifying people with risk factors in certain populations ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Obesity-Hepatitis-C-Infection-Linked-to-Liver-Cancer-Risk-95723-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Risk-Factors-in-Rising-Trend-of-Liver-Cancer-Identified-95659-1.htm Recent studies offer clear picture of the rise of hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer. "The studies illuminate the importance of identifying people with risk factors in certain populations to help catch the disease in its early, treatable stages," said W. Ray Kim, M.D.a specialist in Gastroenterology and Hepatology/A and principal investigator of one study. Dr. Kim's research group looked at several decades of records in the, a database that accounts for an entire county's inpatient and outpatient care....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Risk-Factors-in-Rising-Trend-of-Liver-Cancer-Identified-95659-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Liver-MicroRNAs-Needed-for-Survival-by-Hepatitis-C-Virus-95627-1.htm The way in which hepatitis C virus survives in the liver has been discovered by researchers, thus helping scientists understand why a new antiviral drug appears to be effective against the virus. Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, working with colleagues from the University of Colorado, have found for the first time how the hepatitis C virus hijacked a small RNA molecule that regulates gene expression in human liver cells to ensure its own survival. MicroRNAs ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Liver-MicroRNAs-Needed-for-Survival-by-Hepatitis-C-Virus-95627-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Scientists-Identify-Novel-Therapeutic-Approach-To-Prevent-Liver-Cancer-94567-1.htm A novel therapeutic approach have been identified by the scientists which may help to treat or even prevent liver cancer, which is the third major cause of cancer death worldwide. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a mechanism in mice that triggers inflammation in the liver and transforms normal cells into cancerous ones. In addition, they demonstrated in a mouse model that a particular micro-RNA (miR-124) - a member of a recently discovered class of molecular regulators ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Scientists-Identify-Novel-Therapeutic-Approach-To-Prevent-Liver-Cancer-94567-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Limitations-in-Liver-Cancer-Screening-Uncovered-94373-1.htm Recent studies have uncovered the limitations in screening for primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The first study found that, if given the choice during a clinical trial, most patients with cirrhosis prefer surveillance over the possibility of non-screening, therefore making a randomized study of HCC screening not feasible. A second study determined that ultrasonographic screening at three monthly versus six monthly intervals did not improve the detection of small liver cancers....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Limitations-in-Liver-Cancer-Screening-Uncovered-94373-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Bristol-Myers-and-Johnson-Johnson-to-Study-Combination-Therapy-for-Hepatitis-C-94292-1.htm Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. will collaborate with a unit of Johnson (and) Johnson to study a potential combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C.The companies will test the potentially positive effects of combining Johnson (and) Johnson's drug TMC435 with Bristol-Myers Squibb's daclatasvir. The clinical trials will begin in the first half of 2012 and will include a combination of the two drugs, the drugs plus pegylated interferon and ribavirin, and the drugs plus ribavirin.The terms of their partnership were not disclosed....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Bristol-Myers-and-Johnson-Johnson-to-Study-Combination-Therapy-for-Hepatitis-C-94292-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/IPhone-App-HEP-I-chart-for-Hepatitis-C-Treatment-Launched-by-Liverpool-Varsity-94240-1.htm An iPhone app, HEP i-chart, which provides Hepatitis C (HCV) patients with quick and simple access to the latest information on drug interactions, was launched by UK-based University of Liverpool. Hepatitis C was first discovered in the 1980s when it became apparent that there was a new virus (not the already known hepatitis A or B) causing liver damage. Hepatitis C causes inflammation and swelling of the liver. It is estimated that over 170 million individuals - representing 3% of the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/IPhone-App-HEP-I-chart-for-Hepatitis-C-Treatment-Launched-by-Liverpool-Varsity-94240-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Green-Tea-Prevents-Hepatitis-C-Reinfection-In-Liver-Transplant-Patients-94216-1.htm A flavonoid found in green tea-inhibits the hepatitis C virus (HCV) from entering liver cells, according to German researchers. The flavonoid, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), may offer an antiviral strategy to prevent HCV reinfection following liver transplantation. HCV infection can lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or primary liver cancer. HCV is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease and a primary indication for liver transplantation, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Green-Tea-Prevents-Hepatitis-C-Reinfection-In-Liver-Transplant-Patients-94216-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Hepatitis-C-Outbreak-Linked-to-China-Clinic-94174-1.htm State media and local authorities have confirmed that more than 150 Chinese villagers, many of them children, may have been infected with hepatitis C by a clinic that reused old needles. Nineteen people who received treatment at the privately-run clinic in central China have tested positive for the disease, which the World Health Organisation says can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. Another 98 are suspected to have been infected in Henan province, where the clinic is located, the state-run Beijing Times reported....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Hepatitis-C-Outbreak-Linked-to-China-Clinic-94174-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Early-Liver-Transplantation-Improves-Survival-in-Alcoholics-With-Severe-Hepatitis-93603-1.htm bIntroduction /b Liver transplantation has always been the favorable treatment option for individuals with alcoholic liver disease but it has remained a debatable topic until now. Patients who need transplantation need to babstain from alcohol for 6 months/b before they can be considered for the procedure. One of the reasons for this is to make sure that they do not resume alcohol use after the transplantation.Patients whose alcoholic hepatitis is not responding to medical ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Early-Liver-Transplantation-Improves-Survival-in-Alcoholics-With-Severe-Hepatitis-93603-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/N-Acetylcysteine-Does-Not-Improve-Survival-in-Prednisolone-treated-Severe-Alcoholic-Hepatitis-93418-1.htm Alcoholism severely affects the liver and can lead to death. A recent published study assessed the use of a combination of steroid with N-acetylcysteine in improving survival in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Alcohol causes inflammation of the liver resulting in a condition called alcoholic hepatitis. Alcoholic hepatitis can be severe enough to result in death of the patient. Though steroids are currently used for its treatment, nearly 35% patients die at the end of 6 months of treatment....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/N-Acetylcysteine-Does-Not-Improve-Survival-in-Prednisolone-treated-Severe-Alcoholic-Hepatitis-93418-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Rebound-of-Hepatitis-C-Virus-in-Liver-Transplant-Patients-Prevented-by-Experimental-Drug-93225-1.htm A human monoclonal antibody that was given to patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing liver transplantation significantly suppressed the virus for at least a week after transplant. This antibody, which has been developed by developed by MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), also delayed the time to viral rebound. Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study were presented this week at The Liver Meeting (Regd) , ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Rebound-of-Hepatitis-C-Virus-in-Liver-Transplant-Patients-Prevented-by-Experimental-Drug-93225-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Testing-Hepatitis-C-By-Birth-Cohort-Is-Cost-Effective-Study-93013-1.htm Birth cohort screening for hepatitis C is cost effective in the primary care setting which could save many thousands of lives each year, according to a new study. About 1.5 percent of the nation's population is infected with hepatitis C (HCV), a virus that can cause inflammation and permanent liver damage. The infection is most prevalent among people born from 1945 through 1965, and approximately 50 to 75 percent of those with HCV are unaware that they are infected. This is a problem because ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Testing-Hepatitis-C-By-Birth-Cohort-Is-Cost-Effective-Study-93013-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Beauty-Centres-Risk-Transmitting-Hepatitis-92930-1.htm The possibility of contracting hepatitis from reusable objects found in nail salons and barbershop could also be a cause according to a new report. David A. Johnson, M.D., FACG of Eastern Virginia Medical School said that transmission of hepatitis from instruments like nail files, nail brushes, finger bowls, foot basins, buffers, razors, clippers, and scissors cannot be negated. "Assessment of the Risk of Bloodborne Pathogen Transmission in Nail Salons and Barber Shops and Regulatory Requirements in Virginia....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Beauty-Centres-Risk-Transmitting-Hepatitis-92930-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/First-US-Strains-of-Hepatitis-E-Virus-Discovered-in-Rabbits-by-Veterinary-Researchers-92583-1.htm The first strains of hepatitis E virus have been identified from farmed rabbits in the United States by researchers in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. However it is unknown whether the virus can spread from rabbits to humans. Caitlin Cossaboom of Salisbury, Md., a second-year student in the combined Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Ph.D. program in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, is the first author of a publication entitled ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/First-US-Strains-of-Hepatitis-E-Virus-Discovered-in-Rabbits-by-Veterinary-Researchers-92583-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Era-of-Hepatitis-C-Treatment-91893-1.htm A novel 'wonder pill' is set to revolutionize treatment for hundreds of thousands of people with Hepatitis C. The treatment has been found to completely clear the virus in twice as many patients as current drugs and can halve treatment time to just six months. This means Incivo will clear the virus in around four out of five patients compared with the old standard of care which will only clear it in two or three out of five. The drug, called INCIVO, or telaprevir, treats those with ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Era-of-Hepatitis-C-Treatment-91893-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Liver-Cancer-Increasing-in-Low-Risk-Countries-Decreasing-in-High-Risk-Countries-91686-1.htm Liver cancer incidence rates continue to increase in some low-risk parts of the world such as North America, and are decreasing in some of the highest risk countries of Asia, says a new study. Despite this, the incidence rates in Asian countries remain twice as high as those in Africa and more than four times as high as rates in North America. The study will be published in an upcoming issue of iCancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention/i and appears early online. Using data from ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Liver-Cancer-Increasing-in-Low-Risk-Countries-Decreasing-in-High-Risk-Countries-91686-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Sorafenib-Chemo-Combo-Effective-Against-Liver-Cancer-91390-1.htm An oral-drug-chemo combo has been found effective against liver cancer.Sorafenib, the drug,was followed up with microbeads of chemotherapy injected directly into tumors intheUS study. Reporting in the Sept. 12 online version of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Johns Hopkins investigators tested the combination in 35 patients with advanced, inoperable liver cancer. Both sorafenib and the chemotherapy drug used in this study, doxorubicin, have independently - but not in combination - been approved to treat liver cancer....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Sorafenib-Chemo-Combo-Effective-Against-Liver-Cancer-91390-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Chronic-Hepatitis-C-Patients-Erratic-In-Taking-Medications-91388-1.htm Chronic hepatitis C patients tend to become erratic in taking medications, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Since the study also showed better response to the drugs when they're taken correctly, the researchers say the findings should prompt clinicians to assess patients for barriers to medication adherence throughout their treatment, and develop strategies to help them stay on track. The study is published online this month in EMAnnals of Internal Medicine/EM....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Chronic-Hepatitis-C-Patients-Erratic-In-Taking-Medications-91388-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Nonalcoholic-Fatty-Liver-Disease-Patients-Have-Less-Incidence-of-Liver-Cancer-91307-1.htm Liver-related complications and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lower in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) than patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), reveals study. Patients with both NAFLD and HCV had similar mortality rates. NAFLD has become the most prevalent cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, with studies reporting up to 30% of the general population and 75% of obese individuals having the disease. A minority of cases develop fibrosis or cirrhosis ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Nonalcoholic-Fatty-Liver-Disease-Patients-Have-Less-Incidence-of-Liver-Cancer-91307-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Breast-Liver-Cancer-Triggered-by-DNA-Damage-Caused-by-Alcohol-Metabolism-90749-1.htm Alcohol metabolism causes DNA damage that may trigger breast and liver cancers, a new study has found. Alcohol is known to be carcinogenic to humans in the upper aerodigestive tract, liver, colorectum, and the female breast. Evidence suggests that acetaldehyde, the primary metabolite of alcohol, plays a major role in alcohol-related esophageal cancer. Now, the new study using human cells has established linkages between alcohol metabolism and acetaldehyde-DNA damage that may have implications for breast and liver cancers....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Breast-Liver-Cancer-Triggered-by-DNA-Damage-Caused-by-Alcohol-Metabolism-90749-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Avenues-for-Hepatitis-C-Vaccines-With-Discovery-of-Two-Achilles-Heels-90656-1.htm The discovery of two 'Achilles' heels' within the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus (HCV) has given hope for the development of an effective vaccine and treatment against it. A team of medical researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) led by Professor Andrew Lloyd and Associate Professor Peter White studied individuals at high risk of HCV infection, including a number identified within a few weeks of the onset of infection. Using a new technique, called next generation ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Avenues-for-Hepatitis-C-Vaccines-With-Discovery-of-Two-Achilles-Heels-90656-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Study-Shows-Shorter-Treatment-With-Hepatitis-C-Drug-Combination-may-be-More-Beneficial-90653-1.htm Patients with hepatitis C who took a combination medication-a telaprevir-based regimen that is commonly used to treat the illness-for 24 weeks were cured, University of Cincinnati research published in the Sept. 14, 2011, advance online edition of the INew England Journal of Medicine/I shows. Usually, the treatment is administered for 48 weeks, and these results show that extended treatment is unnecessary, possibly changing the standard of care for hepatitis C patients. Researchers say this ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Study-Shows-Shorter-Treatment-With-Hepatitis-C-Drug-Combination-may-be-More-Beneficial-90653-1.htm