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Friday, April 27, 2018
News Recap:
Warnings:
Synthetic cannabinoids and Hepatitis A could be a fatal combination. On April 9, 2018, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) issued a news release – “Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids Linked to Severe Bleeding in the US,” informing the public about the national outbreak of bleeding illnesses among those consuming synthetic cannabinoids which appear to have been contaminated with a long-acting anticoagulant usually used in rodenticides.
British Columbia:
Legislation will prohibit payment for blood and plasma collection. On April 26, 2018 Health Minister Adrian Dix introduced the Voluntary Blood Donations Act, which will help preserve the integrity of Canada’s public blood and plasma collection system by preventing payment for blood and plasma collection in British Columbia.
Pilot program connects Vancouver immigrant communities with hepatitis C treatment. Read about how Dr. Ramji and community partners are delivering hepatitis C education in various languages in regular workshops offered for newcomers among immigrant communities in Vancouver, BC.
Liver Cancer:
NCCN: Screen for Liver Cancer in Patients at Risk. In the last 20 years in the United States, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has tripled from about 2 to 7 per 100,000 adults. In addition to the rising incidence, the cancer is also one of the most deadly, with a 5-year survival rate of only 18%.
Transplantation:
Alcoholic liver disease replaces hepatitis C infection as the leading cause of liver transplantation in patients without hepatocellular carcinoma in the USA. Two independent studies have reported that alcoholic liver disease has now replaced hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection as the leading cause of liver transplantation in the USA in patients without HCC. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is also on the increase, now ranking second as a cause of liver transplantation due to chronic liver disease.
HIV-HCV Coinfection:
The Sum is More Than the Parts: Effects of HIV and Alcoholism or Hepatitis C on the Brain. As the medications for HIV have gotten more effective, people are living longer with HIV. However, as people living with HIV get older, they are more likely to also develop different problems or diseases, two of which include the viral infection Hepatitis C and Alcohol Use Disorder (alcoholism).
HBV:
Metabolic Syndrome Associated With Higher ALT Levels in Chronic Hepatitis B. About 1 in 4 people with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection who reside in North America have metabolic syndrome, which was also independently associated with higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels over time, according to a new study published in Diabetes Care. Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for chronic liver disease progression.