ACIP: All Adults Ages 59 and Younger Should Get Hep B Vaccine
Adults ages 59 and younger, and adults ages 60 and up who have risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV), are recommended to be vaccinated against HBV, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said in a unanimous vote Wednesday. ACIP voted 15-0 to recommend this split philosophy for HBV vaccination. The initial recommendation […]
High-Dose HBV Revaccination Better Protects HIV Patients
In HIV patients who failed to achieve protection from the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine, a high-dose revaccination schedule led to better serological responses versus standard dosing, a randomized single-center trial in Chile showed. In an intention-to-treat analysis involving over 100 patients, 72% of those revaccinated with three doses of a high-dose recombinant HBV vaccine […]
Some Liver Transplant Patients Got Hepatitis B From Donors
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) was discovered in patients receiving liver transplants, despite donors testing negative for the virus, CDC researchers found. From 2014 to 2019, the agency received reports of 20 patients who contracted HBV after liver transplants from donors who had no evidence of prior HBV infection, according to Danae Bixler, MD, and colleagues […]
What Is the Normal Range for Hepatitis B Surface Antibody?
Learn about how the hepatitis B surface antibody test works, and how its results indicate immunity to the virus Hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs or HBsAb) are measured in blood samples in milli-International Units/milliliter mIU/mL). The ranges for hepatitis B surface antibodies are: Anti-HBs greater than 10-12 mIU/mL: Protected against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, […]
Big Jump in Monthly Average Hospital Admission for Alcoholic Hepatitis Post-Pandemic
Surges in alcohol purchases and use during the pandemic drove up hospital admissions for alcoholic hepatitis, and there may be a negative impact on alcoholic liver disease in the future, researchers from Canada reported. An average of 69.5 patients with alcoholic hepatitis required hospitalization in the period after April 2020 — the initial lockdown time […]
The Murky Post-Pandemic Future of Hepatitis C Elimination in the U.S.
About 25% fewer patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) were initiated on treatment in 2020 compared with 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the WHO target for elimination may not be entirely out of reach, a researcher said. If HCV programs are able to rebound from the pandemic and return to their original forecast, […]