Hepatitis C: A viral time bomb
Demanding greater access to treatment is a primary reason that strong civil society groups, including people living with hepatitis C, initiated World Hepatitis Day.
Blood Borne Viral Hepatitis Action Plan highlighted to mark World Hepatitis Day
Public Health Wales is marking World Hepatitis Day (Thursday 28 July) by highlighting a successful first year for the Blood Borne Viral Hepatitis Action Plan for Wales.
The plan was agreed by the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales in April 2010 and sets out a number of actions to be implemented between 2010 and 2015.
It aims to reduce the transmission of hepatitis infection in Wales, increase the diagnosis of current infection and improve treatment and support for infected individuals.
Third of world's people infected with hepatitis-WHO
Around one third of the global population, or 2 billion people, have been infected with the liver disease hepatitis which kills about a million victims annually
All UK babies could get hepatitis B jab as infections soar.
UK Ministers are considering offering the jab to all children at the same time as vaccines for other illnesses such as polio, whooping cough and tetanus. Around 325,000 Britons are thought to be infected with hepatitis B, a virus which can cause liver cancer, liver disease and death. The total is almost twice the 2002 number of 180,000.
Hong Kong's achievement of hepatitis B goal verified by WHO
Hong Kong was this month verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having successfully achieved the goal of hepatitis B control - "Hong Kong owes this milestone achievement in hepB control to high vaccination coverage, strong laboratory support, effective surveillance as well as vigorous public education efforts by all partners over the past decades," Dr Tsang said.
Asian alarm at deadly hepatitis spread
More than five million people in South and Southeast Asia will die from viral hepatitis over the next decade as experts warn of a rampant epidemic that has already taken more lives than malaria, dengue and HIV/AIDS combined in the past 10 years.
In Canada an estimated 600,000 people have hepatitis.
In Canada an estimated 600,000 people have hepatitis. According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, rates of hepC in British Columbia are higher than the Canadian average with 54.9 new cases per 100,000 people in 2009. On North Vancouver Island, this rate is even higher at 76.6 cases per 100,000.
16M Filipinos afflicted with hepatitis
According to Dr Valdellon Philippines is ‘hyperendemic’ for hepatitis B which means that the disease is highly prevalent in the country - 16 million Filipinos have hepatitis B
Mercer County has the most per capita hepatitis B cases in the USA
According to health officials, Mercer County, West Virginia has the most per capita hepatitis B cases in the USA and ranks third for the number of hepatitis C infections.
New Drugs: the European Commission has approved VICTRELIS (boceprevir)
New Drugs: the European Commission has approved VICTRELIS (boceprevir) for the treatment of Hep C genotype 1 infection, in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. The authorisation is valid in all the 27 member countries of the EU.