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Clinical and Molecular Hepatology Sep 2017Viral hepatitis is one of major global health challenges with increasing disease burden worldwide. Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are major causes of... (Review)
Review
Viral hepatitis is one of major global health challenges with increasing disease burden worldwide. Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are major causes of chronic liver diseases. They can lead to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death in significant portion of affected people. Transmission of hepatitis B virus can be blocked by vaccination. Progression of hepatitis B virus-related liver diseases can be prevented by long-term viral suppression with effective drugs. Although vaccine for hepatitis C virus is currently unavailable, hepatitis C virus infection can be eradicated by oral direct antiviral agents. To eliminate viral hepatitis, World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to develop national goals and targets through reducing 90% of new infections and providing universal access to key treatment services up to 80%. This can lead to 65% reduction of viral hepatitis-related mortality. Here, we discuss some key features of viral hepatitis, strategies to control viral hepatitis suggested by WHO, and current status and strategies for viral hepatitis control in South Korea. To achieve the goal of viral hepatitis elimination by 2030 in South Korea, an independent 'viral hepatitis sector' in Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) needs to be established to organize and execute comprehensive strategy for the management of viral hepatitis in South Korea.
Topics: Antibodies, Viral; Antiviral Agents; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; Humans; Public Health; Republic of Korea
PubMed: 28942620
DOI: 10.3350/cmh.2017.0033 -
Journal of Hepatology Nov 2022Advances in diagnostics and therapeutics have brought the elimination of chronic viral hepatitis into focus. The World Health Organization has defined the targets for...
Advances in diagnostics and therapeutics have brought the elimination of chronic viral hepatitis into focus. The World Health Organization has defined the targets for elimination, but it is unclear how these can be achieved and how they should be measured. The goal of this special conference was to examine current efforts and metrics to assess progress towards elimination.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; Disease Eradication; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; Humans; World Health Organization
PubMed: 35907517
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.06.034 -
Best Practice & Research. Clinical... Oct 2020Viral hepatitis can cause significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Hepatitis A and E mainly present as acute hepatitis during pregnancy, while... (Review)
Review
Viral hepatitis can cause significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Hepatitis A and E mainly present as acute hepatitis during pregnancy, while hepatitis C and D are usually found as chronic infection in pregnant women. Hepatitis A remains self-limiting during pregnancy while hepatitis E has a higher prevalence and manifests with a rigorous course in pregnant women. Screening of hepatitis C during pregnancy and its subsequent management during pregnancy are still a debatable topic. New treatments of hepatitis C and E require further evaluation for use in pregnancy. This review summarizes the prevalence, clinical manifestations, maternal, foetal and neonatal effects, and the management of hepatitis A, C, D and E viral infection during pregnancy.
Topics: Female; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis D; Hepatitis E; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Prenatal Care; Prevalence
PubMed: 32305262
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2020.03.009 -
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology Sep 2017Hepatitis A virus is one of the most frequent causes of foodborne infection, which is closely associated with sanitary conditions and hygienic practices. The clinical... (Review)
Review
Hepatitis A virus is one of the most frequent causes of foodborne infection, which is closely associated with sanitary conditions and hygienic practices. The clinical spectrum of acute hepatitis A is wide, ranging from mild case without any noticeable symptoms to severe case with acute liver failure leading to mortality. The severity and outcome are highly correlated with age at infection. In developing countries, most people are infected in early childhood without significant symptom. Ironically, in area where sanitary condition has improved rapidly, adults who do not have immunity for viral hepatitis A (VH-A) in early childhood is accumulating. Adults without immunity are exposed to risks of symptomatic disease and large outbreaks in society. In Korea, where hygiene has improved rapidly, acute hepatitis A is a significant health burden that needs to be managed with nationwide health policy. The incidence of symptomatic VH-A has increased since 2000 and peaked in 2009. Korea has designated hepatitis A as a group 1 nationally notifiable infectious disease in 2001. Since 2001, mandatory surveillance system has been established to detect every single case of acute hepatitis A. Universal, nationwide vaccination program for newborns was introduced in 2015. In this review, we will present the current epidemiologic status of viral hepatitis A, and evaluate the effectiveness of the current nationwide strategies for the control of viral hepatitis A in Korea. Furthermore, we presented some action proposals that can help eliminate viral hepatitis A, which is a significant health burden in Korea.
Topics: Age Factors; Antibodies, Viral; Hepatitis A; Humans; Military Personnel; Republic of Korea; Risk; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 28942621
DOI: 10.3350/cmh.2017.0034 -
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in... Dec 2018The enterically transmitted hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis E viruses (HEV) are the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis in humans. Despite the discovery of HAV and... (Review)
Review
The enterically transmitted hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis E viruses (HEV) are the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis in humans. Despite the discovery of HAV and HEV 40-50 years ago, their evolutionary origins remain unclear. Recent discoveries of numerous nonprimate hepatoviruses and hepeviruses allow revisiting the evolutionary history of these viruses. In this review, we provide detailed phylogenomic analyses of primate and nonprimate hepatoviruses and hepeviruses. We identify conserved and divergent genomic properties and corroborate historical interspecies transmissions by phylogenetic comparisons and recombination analyses. We discuss the likely non-recent origins of human HAV and HEV precursors carried by mammals other than primates, and detail current zoonotic HEV infections. The novel nonprimate hepatoviruses and hepeviruses offer exciting new possibilities for future research focusing on host range and the unique biological properties of HAV and HEV.
Topics: Animals; Disease Reservoirs; Evolution, Molecular; Genotype; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis A Virus, Human; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis E; Hepatitis E virus; Humans; Mammals; Phylogeny; Primates; Zoonoses
PubMed: 29610146
DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a031690 -
Viruses Jan 2023Vaccination has been confirmed to be the safest and, sometimes, the only tool of defense against threats from infectious diseases. The successful history of vaccination... (Review)
Review
Vaccination has been confirmed to be the safest and, sometimes, the only tool of defense against threats from infectious diseases. The successful history of vaccination is evident in the control of serious viral infections, such as smallpox and polio. Viruses that infect human livers are known as hepatitis viruses and are classified into five major types from A to E, alphabetically. Although infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) is known to be self-resolving after rest and symptomatic treatment, there were 7134 deaths from HAV worldwide in 2016. In 2019, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) resulted in an estimated 820,000 and 290,000 deaths, respectively. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite virus that depends on HBV for producing its infectious particles in order to spread. The combination of HDV and HBV infection is considered the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is another orally transmitted virus, common in low- and middle-income countries. In 2015, it caused 44,000 deaths worldwide. Safe and effective vaccines are already available to prevent hepatitis A and B. Here, we review the recent advances in protective vaccines against the five major hepatitis viruses.
Topics: Humans; Hepatitis Viruses; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis Delta Virus; Vaccines
PubMed: 36680254
DOI: 10.3390/v15010214 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Nov 2020Food contaminated by hepatitis A virus (HAV) is responsible of the 2-7% of all HAV outbreaks worldwide. This review provides a description of the HAV characteristics,... (Review)
Review
Food contaminated by hepatitis A virus (HAV) is responsible of the 2-7% of all HAV outbreaks worldwide. This review provides a description of the HAV characteristics, its infectivity and epidemiological features. In addition, this review compiles existing original papers reporting HAV prevalence, viral titres in foodstuffs and the risk associated with food contamination. The purpose of this revision is to conduct a structured and systematic review of the published molecular procedures for HAV detection in food, including the assessment of its infectivity.
Topics: Disease Outbreaks; Food Contamination; Food Microbiology; Foodborne Diseases; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis A virus; Humans; Prevalence; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 32471014
DOI: 10.1111/jam.14727 -
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in... May 2019Disease outbreaks resembling hepatitis A have been known since antiquity. However, it was not until World War II when two forms of viral hepatitis were clearly... (Review)
Review
Disease outbreaks resembling hepatitis A have been known since antiquity. However, it was not until World War II when two forms of viral hepatitis were clearly differentiated. After the discovery of Australia antigen and its association with hepatitis B, similar methodologies were used to find the hepatitis A virus. The virus was ultimately identified when investigators changed the focus of their search from serum to feces and applied appropriate technology.
Topics: Animals; Feces; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans
PubMed: 29712682
DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a031740 -
Recent Advances in Inflammation &... 2023Hepatitis E is viral hepatitis caused by infection with the hepatitis E virus (HEV). This article aims to review HEV disease and recent advances in the management of... (Review)
Review
Hepatitis E is viral hepatitis caused by infection with the hepatitis E virus (HEV). This article aims to review HEV disease and recent advances in the management of hepatitis E. We used PubMed Clinical Queries and keywords of "hepatitis E", "hepatitis E virus" AND "zoonosis" as the search engine. "Therapy", "Clinical Prediction Guides", "Diagnosis", "Etiology" and "Prognosis" were used as filters, and "Narrow" scope was used. The search was conducted in April 2022. The information retrieved from the above search was used in the compilation of the present article. Hepatitis E is viral hepatitis caused by infection with the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hepatitis E has mainly a fecal-oral transmission route. Hepatitis E infection usually follows an acute and self-limiting course of illness with low death rates in resource-rich areas; however, it can be more severe in pregnant women and immunocompromised people. The mortality rates in these groups are substantially higher. A vaccine for HEV is available but is not universally approved. Ribavirin remains the most efficacious medication for the treatment of HEV but is contraindicated in pregnancy. Sofosbuvir and pegylated interferon, with or without ribavirin, have not been shown in the latest literature reviews to provide reliable additional benefits to the treatment of hepatitis. Sofosbuvir should not be used as monotherapy for HEV. Food is an important source of infection in many countries while rats are the primary vector in developing nations. Management must include an understanding of the rat habitats for this zoonotic disease. Hepatitis E remains an important cause of hepatitis and a zoonotic disease globally. Public health policies are key to containing this viral infectious disease, including policy in the transfusion of blood products.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Rats; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis E; Hepatitis E virus; Ribavirin; Sofosbuvir; Zoonoses
PubMed: 36635905
DOI: 10.2174/2772270817666230112123221 -
Clinical Gastroenterology and... May 2021Etiologies of acute viral hepatitis in high-income countries change with migration of populations, lifestyle changes, and emergence of new pathogens. We analyzed...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Etiologies of acute viral hepatitis in high-income countries change with migration of populations, lifestyle changes, and emergence of new pathogens. We analyzed etiologies, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with acute viral hepatitis at a tertiary hospital in Spain.
METHODS
We analyzed data from all patients with acute hepatitis (n = 100; 71% male; median age, 42 years; 72% Spanish nationals), older than 16 years, diagnosed in the emergency department of an academic hospital in Barcelona, Spain, from January 2014 through December 2018. Blood samples were collected and patients with serum levels of alanine aminotransferase more than 10-fold the upper limit of normal and markers viral infection were considered to have acute viral hepatitis. We collected clinical information from patients, and samples were analyzed for IgM antibody to hepatitis B (HB) core antigen, HB surface antigen, antibody against hepatitis C virus (HCV), HCV RNA, IgM against hepatitis E virus (HEV), HEV RNA, and IgM against hepatitis A virus (HAV). Patients were followed until resolution of infections or evidence of chronic infection.
RESULTS
The most common etiologies of acute hepatitis were HBV infection (28%), HEV infection (18%), HCV infection (17%), and HAV infection (14%). The main risk factors of the cohort were sexual risk contact and intravenous drug use; 79% of cases of HAV had sexual risk behavior. Twenty-nine percent of patients with acute HAV infection and 29% of patients with HBV infection were immigrants to Spain. Fifty-four patients were hospitalized; jaundice and HCV infection were associated with hospital admission. Three patients died (2 from acute liver failure related to acute HBV infection or HBV and HDV co-infection). Chronic infections developed in 5/28 patients (18%) with acute HBV infection and 7/17 patients (41%) with acute HCV infection.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite universal vaccination against HBV in Spain, HBV remains the most frequent cause of acute viral hepatitis in our emergency department. Almost one-third of cases of acute HBV and HAV infections were immigrants, possibly from countries with suboptimal vaccination programs. A high proportion of patients with acute hepatitis have HEV infection (18%); acute HAV infection was associated with sexual risk behavior.
Topics: Adult; Female; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis E; Humans; Male; Spain
PubMed: 32663522
DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2020.07.006