Viral Hepatitis Prevention Monthly Newsletter

ISSUE NUMBER EIGHTEEN • June 2015

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Hepatitis C in the Indiana HIV Outbreak

As of May 26, 2015, there were 159 confirmed positive cases of HIV in Scott County.  As reported, this outbreak has been largely associated with injection drug use.  This is the main route of transmission for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the U.S.  Co-infection of HIV and HCV has been reported among the population in Scott County.  Of individuals tested, 88 percent are co-infected with HIV and HCV.  The current situation highlights the importance of testing and prevention efforts for HCV.  In addition, as testing increases,  surveillance or reporting of this testing becomes more critical as well!  Prevention efforts must target affect individuals and areas of the state.  This can only be known through the reporting of testing efforts being conducted. 

Indiana and Needle Exchange

On May 5, 2015 the Governor signed into Law the provision for possible needle exchanges throughout the state.  The law bases the need/approval of a needle exchange on epidemic levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or HIV, linked to injection drug use, within a county.  However,  counties are required to show that their levels of HCV and/or HIV are elevated and are due to injection drug use.  Furthermore,  counties must have local authority approval to apply for a needle exchange, must show that other measures have been taken to address the epidemic, and must be able to provide education, addiction treatment or referrals, and other supportive services.  To read the bill click here

Resources are being developed by the ISDH regarding this new legislation, please check the Viral Hepatitis Prevention  or HIV webpage for these upcoming resource.

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Spotlight On...

CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention's new strategic plan   

CDC recently released the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention: Strategic Plan through 2020. The plan sets forth goals to reduce incidence, morbidity, mortality, and health disparities related to HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (including HPV), and tuberculosis.

Travel Advisory for Hepatitis A in Tulum Mexico

The CDC released an advisory to travelers to Tulum, Mexico as public health officials have recently identified 28 cases of hepatitis A in 12 states as of the end of April.  The dates of travel ranged from Feb. 15, 2015 to March 20, 2015.Unvaccinated travelers to Tulum and other areas where hepatitis A is common are at risk of getting infected with the virus. 

Click on the links below for more information:

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HepAVaccinationBeforeTravel.htm

http://atlasimmunization.com/News/ArtMID/11442/ArticleID/2447/Hepatitis-A-in-Mexico

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Viral Hepatitis Updates & News

MMWR - Increases in Hepatitis C Virus Infection Related to Injection Drug Use Among Persons Aged ≤30 Years — Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, 2006–2012

This report shows that trends in new cases of HCV infection are highly correlated with trends in substance abuse treatment admissions for opioid dependency and opioid injection in four states in the central Appalachian Region.

Click here to access the article.

MMWR - Identification and Linkage to Care of HCV-Infected Persons in Five Health Centers — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2012–2014

This report describes strategies for integrating HCV testing into primary care settings.

Click here to access the article.

Walgreens is Launching a Free Hepatitis C testing in 12 major cities in the U.S.  

Walgreens pharmacies will start offering free hepatitis C virus (HCV) tests at more than 60 locations across 12 major U.S. cities, thanks to a new collaboration with the nonprofit Chronic Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF).

The program, which is slated to begin in August and run through January 2016, will set aside special dates and times at Walgreens pharmacy stores for customers to get tested with the OraQuick HCV Rapid Test. The fingerstick blood test can make an accurate diagnosis in just 20 minutes.

Those who test positive will then be linked directly to one of CLF’s 75 hepatology centers throughout the country for care. The testing program also aims to get people nationwide more educated on their risk factors for hep C.

To read more, click here.

Eliminating Hepatitis B in the United States—Mothers Matter!

Every year, 25,000 women with chronic hepatitis B infection give birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They are a subset of the estimated 700,000 to 1.4 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B virus in the U.S., but merit our special attention because of the risk of perinatal hepatitis B infection, which occurs when the virus is transmitted from a mother to her infant. Although such transmission is completely preventable, an estimated 952 infants in the U.S. were infected perinatally in 2009, the most recent year for which estimates are available.

Given the relatively small, yet stubbornly persistent number of perinatal hepatitis B infections in the U.S., the national Viral Hepatitis Action Plan (Action Plan) set as one of its overarching goals the elimination of perinatal hepatitis B transmission in the U.S. by 2020. The steady annual number of perinatal hepatitis B cases is particularly concerning because approximately 90 percent of HBV-infected newborns develop chronic infection; up to 25 percent of these children will die of cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer later in life.

A key to achieving that goal is ensuring that all pregnant women are tested for hepatitis B so that appropriate interventions can be taken upon the birth of the infant to a mother who tests positive for chronic hepatitis B infection–specifically, the provision of post-exposure prophylaxis (i.e., hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine) to all infants born to HBV-infected women. 

To continue reading, click here.

IN THIS ISSUE

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UPCOMING EVENTS

New England AIDS Education and Training Center webinar series: “The Hidden Epidemic”: HIV and Hepatitis B Prevention, Screening & Care for African Immigrants

African immigrants constitute a highly diverse and rapidly growing group in the United States that is disproportionate impact by HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B. Barriers for engagement in prevention, screening and care services for African immigrants include stigma, cultural beliefs, fear of immigration and lack of awareness.

Improving Hepatitis B Prevention, Screening and Clinical Care for African Immigrants – Monday, June 15, 2015 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

For more information and to register, click here.

 

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