Tag

Hepatitis B

All articles tagged with #hepatitis b

science-and-health14 days ago•4 min saved

Epigenetic Therapy Silences Hepatitis B Virus in Early Trials

A new epigenetic therapy, CRMA-1001, has shown promise in silencing the hepatitis B virus (HBV) by adding chemical tags to viral DNA rather than cutting it. Developed by nChroma Bio and Italian researchers, the treatment targets both free-floating and integrated HBV DNA in the liver. Preclinical tests in human cells, mice, and monkeys yielded strong results with minimal side effects. A clinical trial has now begun in Hong Kong and New Zealand, with the first patient treated in January 2026. This approach aims to offer a potential cure for the 250 million people globally affected by chronic HBV, avoiding the cancer risks associated with traditional gene-editing methods.

via Nature|

#clinical-trials #crispr #epigenetics

science1 month ago•128 min saved

West African chimps get a second chance after hepatitis B research

West African chimpanzees once used in hepatitis B vaccine research are now receiving care as part of a rehabilitation effort, with researchers acknowledging the pain they endured and emphasizing giving them a dignified second chance at life.

via AP News|

#animal-welfare #chimpanzees #hepatitis-b

local1 month ago•30 min saved

Florida Moves to Drop Four School Vaccines, Expands Exemption Options

The Florida Department of Health is moving to remove four vaccines—Hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib, and pneumococcal disease—from public and private K–12 school entry requirements, and to widen religious and personal-belief exemptions. The proposal would apply to both public and private students and opens a 21‑day public comment period before final approval. Health experts warn lower vaccination rates could weaken herd immunity, while some doctors say exemptions and continued individual choice are important, a debate reflecting Florida’s ongoing tensions after Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo signaled an intent to end all school vaccine mandates.

via WEAR-TV|

#florida #hepatitis-b #herd-immunity

health1 month ago•12 min saved

Florida Proposes Dropping Four Vaccines From School Entry Rules

Florida's Department of Health proposes a rule to remove four vaccines—hepatitis B, varicella, Hib, and pneumococcal conjugate—from pre-K–12 school entry requirements, as part of Surgeon General Ladapo's drive to roll back vaccine mandates. The rule would also broaden religious/moral exemptions and allow parents to opt out of having their children’s vaccination data in the state database; a 21-day public comment period precedes final approval. The change is an agency rule, not law, and critics warn it could raise illness risk, while supporters emphasize parental rights and medical freedom.

via Sun Sentinel|

#health #hepatitis-b #hib

health2 months ago•37 min saved

Salon Safety: How manicure tools can spread hepatitis B and C—and how to prevent it

Hepatitis B and C spread mainly via infected blood. The piece warns manicure/pedicure can pose a small transmission risk if tools are contaminated and not properly sterilised. To reduce risk, demand single-use needles, proper sterilisation (autoclave where possible), and gloves between clients; salons should follow infection-control procedures. If exposure is suspected, seek medical advice promptly; HBV has a vaccine (HBIG in some cases) but there is no vaccine for HCV, so prevention and early screening are vital.

via Hindustan Times|

#health #hepatitis-b #hepatitis-c

health3 months ago•5 min saved

Finite HBV cure gains momentum with bepirovirsen in phase 3 trials

In two phase 3 trials (B-Well 1 and B-Well 2) of adults with chronic hepatitis B who were noncirrhotic and on stable nucleos(t)ide therapy, the antisense oligonucleotide bepirovirsen led to a functional cure (HBV DNA below quantification and loss of HBsAg for at least 24 weeks) in about 19–20% of participants at week 72 after stopping therapy, versus 0% with placebo. While this marks a significant advance toward a finite cure, it is not universal and durability beyond 72 weeks, safety concerns, and applicability to broader patient groups remain unresolved. Further studies and real-world data are planned, with GSK funding the trials.

via Medscape|

#bepirovirsen #functional-cure #hbsag

health3 months ago•7 min saved

Silent signals: catching liver cancer before it whispers

Liver cancer often grows quietly due to the liver’s large reserve capacity, so early signs are vague and easily mistaken for other issues. Key warning signs include unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue, reduced appetite, and right‑sided abdominal pain; as it progresses, ascites and jaundice may appear. Those with hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, MAFLD, or a family history are at higher risk. Early detection via blood tests (including liver function and AFP), ultrasound, CT or MRI improves treatment outcomes, with regular surveillance recommended for high‑risk groups. Preventive steps include hepatitis vaccination, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, managing diabetes and fatty liver disease, and routine health screenings.

via The Times of India|

#early-symptoms #health #hepatitis-b

technology3 months ago•10 min saved

Epigenetic editing goes from concept to clinic in biotech startups

A new wave of biotech startups is pursuing targeted epigenetic editing—modifying DNA-associated chemical markers to turn genes on or off—aiming to treat diseases from muscular dystrophy to hepatitis B; companies like Epicrispr and nChroma are leading with dead-Cas9/Cas12F tools and refined methyltransferases, reporting preclinical success and early human dosing, while researchers caution that long‑term safety and off‑target effects remain critical as this approach moves toward the clinic.

via Nature|

#biotechnology-startups #crispr #epigenetic-editing

health4 months ago•4 min saved

Retraction casts doubt on long-published autism-vaccine link study

A 16-year-old study claiming that infant hepatitis B vaccination increases autism risk has been retracted for fundamental methodological flaws, including too few autism cases (31) and overstated causality. The authors dispute the withdrawal, and the paper had previously been cited in CDC/ACIP discussions, influencing vaccine-safety reviews before the retraction was issued.

via Retraction Watch|

#autism #health #hepatitis-b

health4 months ago•4 min saved

Philadelphia dental clinic closure prompts HIV and hepatitis testing for patients

Philadelphia health officials urge patients of Smiles at Rittenhouse Square to get tested for HIV and hepatitis after investigators found unsanitary practices; the clinic is closed and the dentist's license suspended; potential exposure window is April 2025 through May 2026; no linked cases identified yet, but risk is considered low but real; officials expect hundreds of patients may be affected and have set up a helpline at 215-685-5488; hepatitis B vaccination offers protection if exposed, while there are no vaccines for HIV or hepatitis C; testing may require multiple blood draws depending on timing.

via ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos|

#dental-clinic #health #hepatitis-b

local4 months ago•2 min saved

Philly dental clinic shut over unsanitary conditions; patients urged to test for HIV and hepatitis

Philadelphia health officials suspended the Smiles at Rittenhouse Square license and closed the clinic after unsanitary conditions were found. Former patients who visited from April 2025 through May 2026 will be notified by mail to seek testing for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C; a hotline (215-685-5488) is available for questions. No infections have been confirmed, and the clinic will not reopen until infection-control remediation is completed and the dentist’s license is reinstated. A separate investigation by the Pennsylvania Department of State is underway, and Dr. Kirti Chopra is cooperating with authorities.

via CBS News|

#hepatitis-b #hepatitis-c #hiv

public-health7 months ago•11 min saved

Birth Dose Backslide: Hepatitis B Vaccination Slumps in U.S. Hospitals

A JAMA study of 12.4 million US newborns found the hepatitis B birth-dose rate dropped from 83.5% to 73.2% from 2023 to mid-2025, implying hundreds of thousands fewer babies vaccinated and potential rises in infant infections. The decline aligns with rising vaccine skepticism linked to the Covid era, and follows the CDC’s shift to shared decision-making for several vaccines, producing uneven state responses. Experts warn the US health system lacks the infrastructure to match more universal, registry-backed vaccination models seen in other countries.

via Vox|

#cdc #hepatitis-b #public-health

politics7 months ago•13 min saved

Vaccines at the Center as Surgeon General Nominee Faces Senate Scrutiny

At a Senate confirmation hearing, Casey Means, President Trump’s surgeon general nominee, was grilled over vaccines and the autism link, refused to push universal vaccination, and urged parents to discuss shots with doctors while acknowledging vaccines’ life-saving role and supporting shared clinical decision-making; lawmakers pressed on universal hepatitis B birth-dose policy and Means’s credentials, including her inactive medical license and wellness-influencer background.

via Politico|

#autism-debate #casey-means #hepatitis-b

politics7 months ago•30 min saved

New Documents Trace Controversial Hepatitis B Birth-Dose Study's Shortcut to CDC Approval

A Rolling Stone investigation shows that a $1.6 million birth-dose hepatitis B vaccine study in Guinea-Bissau was moved directly from the CDC director’s office to grants management, bypassing normal scientific review and ethical oversight, amid pressure from Kennedy allies and irregular ethics approvals, drawing WHO concern and congressional scrutiny as the project remains in limbo.

via Rolling Stone|

#cdc #ethics #guinea-bissau

health7 months ago•4 min saved

WHO flags unethical US-backed newborn hepatitis B trial in Guinea-Bissau

The World Health Organization criticized and halted a US-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau that would compare vaccinating newborns at birth with delaying the dose to six weeks, calling the plan unethical and lacking justified scientific safeguards; the birth dose is a proven public health intervention, and about 14,000 babies were to be enrolled before the government suspended the project amid public outrage. Guinea-Bissau plans to roll out the birth-dose nationwide by 2028, with WHO support to accelerate adoption.

via BBC|

#birth-dose #ethics #guinea-bissau