Viral hepatitis: Past,present, and future

Each hepatitis virus—Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, and G—poses a distinct scenario to the patient and clinician alike. Since the discovery of each virus, extensive knowledge regarding epidemiology, virologic properties, and the natural clinical and immunologic history of acute and chronic infections has been generated. Basic discoveries about host immunologic responses to acute and chronic viral infections, combined with virologic data, has led to vaccines to prevent Hepatitis A, B, and E and highly efficacious antivirals for Hepatitis B and C. These therapeutic breakthroughs are transforming the fields of hepatology, transplant medicine in general, and public and global health. Most notably, there is even an ambitious global effort to eliminate chronic viral hepatitis within the next decade. While attainable, there are many barriers to this goal that are being actively investigated in basic and clinical labs on the local, national, and international scales. Herein, we discuss pertinent clinical information and recent organizational guidelines for each of the individual hepatitis viruses while also synthesizing this information with the latest research to focus on exciting future directions for each virus.     

2011—2020年平顶山市 乙型病毒性肝炎流行病学特征分析 时空分布特征及与性别、年龄变化情况

[摘要]　目的　分析河南省平顶山市2011—2020年乙型病毒性肝炎（乙肝）流行病学特征，为调整本市的乙肝防控策略和措施提供科学依据。方法?通过中国疾病预防控制信息系统收集网络直报的平顶山市2011—2020年乙肝病例数据，采用描述性流行病学方法进行分析。结果?2011—2020年平顶山市共报告27 078例乙肝病例，年平均发病率为67.47/10万，2016—2020年期间的年平均发病率（36.95/10万）较2011—2015年期间（98.46/10万）明显下降（χ2=5628.949，P=0.000）；急、慢性乙肝发病率分别为8.50/10万和57.88/10万；0～14岁以下儿童年平均发病率最低，为2.89/10万，随着年龄的增长，乙肝报告发病率呈现逐渐增高的趋势（χ2趋势=4644.258，P=0.000）；男性年平均发病率（71.21/10万）高于女性（63.44/10万）（χ2=89.803，P=0.000）；2016—2020年间发病率居前3位的分别为宝丰县（58.40/10万）、舞钢市（57.83/10万）、石龙区（56.50/10万），均为城郊地区。结论?平顶山市2011—2020年乙肝报告发病率呈下降趋势，尤以0～14岁以下儿童发病率较低。建议进一步加强成人乙肝防控工作，并重点加强宝丰县和舞钢市等高风险地区的防控工作。     

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hepatitis B virus vaccination and transmission among men who have sex with men: A mathematical modelling study

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccinations among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been considerably lower than before the pandemic. Moreover, less frequent HBV testing and a reduction in numbers of sex partners have been reported. We assessed the impact of these COVID-19-related changes on HBV transmission among MSM in the Netherlands.MethodsWe estimated the changes in sexual activity, HBV testing, and HBV vaccination among MSM during the pandemic from Dutch data. We used a deterministic compartmental model and investigated scenarios with small or large declines in sexual activity, testing, and vaccination for the current phase of the pandemic (without available data). We examined the increase in HBV vaccinations needed to prevent further increase in HBV incidence.ResultsWith a decrease in numbers of sex partners of 15–25% during the first lockdown and 5% during the second lockdown, we found a decline of 6.6% in HBV incidence in 2020, despite a >70% reduction in HBV testing and vaccination during the first lockdown. With numbers of sex partners rebounding close to pre-pandemic level in 2021, and a reduction of 15% in testing and 30% in vaccination in 2021, we found an increase of 1.4% in incidence in 2021 and 3.1% in 2026. With these changes, an increase of ≥60% in HBV vaccinations in 2022 would be needed to bring the HBV incidence in 2023 back to the level that it would have had if the COVID-19-related changes had not occurred.ConclusionsDespite reductions in sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the decrease in HBV vaccinations may result in a small increase in HBV incidence after 2021, which may persist for years. It is important to restore the vaccination level and limit further increase in HBV transmission among MSM.     

Efficacy of an eConsult service to cure hepatitis C in primary care

In 2016, an eConsult service was developed within a safety net health system to expand access to hepatitis C (HCV) treatment in the primary care setting. The eConsult system provides individualized treatment recommendations from specially trained primary care pharmacists and primary care physicians to primary care providers with less experience in the rapidly changing treatment of HCV. Since its launch, this service has had a large impact in expanding care to a largely homeless and low-income urban population within our health system. We now aim to evaluate its efficacy in curing HCV. In this retrospective cohort study, we describe rates of sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment completion (SVR12) for those who received primary care-based HCV treatment through the eConsult system with those who were treated in primary care independent of an eConsult from 2017 to 2019. We found there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients who achieved SVR12 between the two groups. Overall, >90% of patients who received treatment achieved SVR12. Approximately 40% of patients treated for HCV received an eConsult, suggesting utility of the eConsult in expanding access and coordinating treatment for patients within our network.     

Organoids in modelling infectious diseases

Approaches based on animal and two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models cannot ensure reliable results in modeling novel pathogens or in drug testing in the short term; therefore, there is rising interest in platforms such as organoids. To develop a toolbox that can be used successfully to overcome current issues in modeling various infections, it is essential to provide a framework of recent achievements in applying organoids. Organoids have been used to study viruses, bacteria, and protists that cause, for example, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and liver diseases. Their future as models of infection will be associated with improvements in system complexity, including abilities to model tissue structure, a dynamic microenvironment, and coinfection.Teaser.Organoids are a flexible tool for modelling viral, bacterial and protist infections. They can provide fast and reliable information on the biology of pathogens and in drug screening, and thus have become essential in combatting emerging infectious diseases.     

Survival Analysis Using Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) Grade for Patients Treated with Drug-Eluting Embolic Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PurposeThe albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade has been established as an improved predictor of survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with conventional transarterial chemoembolization and yttrium-90 radioembolization. The purpose of the study was to investigate the utility of ALBI grade in prognosticating outcomes in patients with HCC treated with drug-eluting embolic (DEE) transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).Materials and MethodsA single-center retrospective review was performed to compare the efficacy of ALBI grade and Child-Pugh (CP) classification in predicting the survival of patients with HCC receiving DEE-TACE. A total of 303 patients with HCC were identified who had received DEE-TACE without concomitant locoregional therapy within 30 days. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier methods and censored for curative therapy. Survival curves were stratified based on the ALBI grade, CP class, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and presence of ascites. The discriminatory ability of survival curves was calculated by C-Index.ResultsKaplan-Meier survival curves stratified by the ALBI grade produced distinct, nonoverlapping curves (P < .001), showing greater discriminatory ability than the CP classification (C-index = 0.568 and 0.545, respectively). The substratification of the BCLC stage by the ALBI grade yielded greater discriminatory ability than the substratification by the CP classification (C-index = 0.573 and 0.565, respectively). For patients with BCLC stage B, the substratification by the ALBI grade yielded distinct curves, whereas the substratification by the CP classification did not (P = .011 and P = .379, respectively).ConclusionsALBI grade showed improved discriminatory ability compared with CP classification in differentiating overall survival among patients with HCC receiving DEE-TACE. Furthermore, ALBI grade was effective in substratifying survival among patients categorized as CP class A and patients with BCLC stage B, whereas CP classification was not effective.     

The impact of the covalently closed circular DNA level on recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after initial hepatectomy: an analysis of patients with resolved hepatitis B virus infection

BackgroundWe assessed whether or not covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels in the background liver influence the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.MethodsAmong 425 patients who underwent initial hepatectomy for HCC between 2010 and 2018, a retrospective review was performed in 44 with resolved HBV infection. The clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed for correlation with tumor recurrence. The HBV cccDNA levels were tested via a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assay.ResultsHBV cccDNA was detected in 27 of 44 patients (61%), and the median level was 1.0 copies/1000 ng (range, 0-931.3 copies/1000 ng). Anti-HBc ≥8.9 S/CO was associated with cccDNA detection (odds ratio, 11.08; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.48-49.46; P = 0.002). Twenty-eight patients (64%) developed HCC recurrence after hepatectomy. The overall 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 45.7% and 34.3%, respectively.19 HBV cccDNA levels was not significantly associated with HCC recurrence, while the presence of multiple tumors was an independent risk fact or (hazard ratio, 6.53; 95% CI, 2.48-17.19; P < 0.001.ConclusionHBV cccDNA levels did not influence HCC recurrence after hepatectomy. Anti-HBc levels may be used as a surrogate marker for cccDNA.     

急性乙型肝炎患者pDCs上CD86表达变化及意义

目的 探讨外周血浆细胞样树突状细胞(pDCs)在急性乙型肝炎(AHB）患者临床转归中的变化及作用。方法 纳入2015年6月至2017年5月收治的急性乙型肝炎(AHB组)患者40例， 给予退黄、降酶、保肝等药物，并加用恩替卡韦0．5 mg空腹口服，1次/d。另纳入健康体检者26例为健康对照组（ HC组）。HC组于体检当天、AHB组于治疗前及治疗后6周采集外周静脉全血，采用ELISA法检测2组血浆HBV DNA、HBsAg、HbeAg及肝功能指标水平，并应用流式细胞仪检测pDCs的频数及其功能分子CD86的表达水平。结果 治疗6周后，AHB组临床症状显著缓解，血清学指标和乙型肝炎标志物水平显著下降（P<0.01）。治疗6周后，AHB组HBV DNA转阴率为82.5%，HBsAg清除率为72.5%，HBeAg血清学转换率为75.0%，与治疗前比较差异均有统计学意义（P<0.01）, HC组pDCs频数显著高于AHB组治疗前。AHB组治疗后CD86+pDCs显著高于治疗前。HC组CD86ABC显著低于AHB组治疗前。结论 在急性乙型肝炎患者外周血pDCs的数量降低。急性乙型肝炎患者在治疗后CD86+pDCs增多。急性乙型肝炎患者pDCs上CD86表达上调。     

延续护理干预对慢性乙型肝炎患者抗病毒治疗依从性的影响观察

目的:分析延续护理干预对慢性乙型肝炎患者抗病毒治疗依从性的影响。方法:研究选取2017年1月~2017年12月某院肝二病区收治的112例乙型肝炎患者和2018年1月~2018年12月收治的98例乙型肝炎病毒患者作为研究对象,所有患者均进行抗病毒治疗,回顾性分析患者的病历资料。将2017年收治的112例患者作为常规组实施常规护理,将2018年收治的98例患者的作为研究组实施延续性护理,比较两组的护理效果。结果:研究组的治疗依从率为93.88%(92例),远高于常规组的77.68%(87例),两组数据比较存在统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:延续性护理措施可以有效提高慢性乙型肝炎抗病毒治疗的依从性,可以在临床中推广使用。