Immigration and viral hepatitis

WHO estimates reveal that the global prevalence of viral hepatitis may be as high as 500 million, with an annual mortality rate of up to 1.3 million individuals. The majority of this global burden of disease is borne by nations of the developing world with high rates of vertical and iatrogenic transmission of HBV and HCV, as well as poor access to healthcare. In 2013, 3.2% of the global population (231 million individuals) migrated into a new host nation. Migrants predominantly originate from the developing countries of the south, into the developed economies of North America and Western Europe. This mass migration of individuals from areas of high-prevalence of viral hepatitis poses a unique challenge to the healthcare systems of the host nations. Due to a lack of universal standards for screening, vaccination and treatment of viral hepatitis, the burden of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma continues to increase among migrant populations globally. Efforts to increase case identification and treatment among migrants have largely been limited to small outreach programs in urban centers, such that the majority of migrants with viral hepatitis continue to remain unaware of their infection. This review summarizes the data on prevalence of viral hepatitis and burden of chronic liver disease among migrants, current standards for screening and treatment of immigrants and refugees, and efforts to improve the identification and treatment of viral hepatitis among migrants

Ribavirin dose management in HCV patients receiving ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir with ribavirin

Background & Aims: Some individuals with hepatitis C virus infection treated with direct-acting antivirals require ribavirin to maximize sustained virological response rates. We describe the clinical management of ribavirin dosing in hepatitis C virus-infected patients receiving ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir with ribavirin. Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of patients receiving ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir with ribavirin for 12 or 24 weeks in six phase 3 trials. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression models assessed predictors associated with ribavirin dose adjustments and with developing anaemia. Results: Of 1548 patients, 100 (6.5%) modified ribavirin dose due to haemoglobin declines, of which 99% achieved sustained virological response at 12 weeks post-treatment. Median time to first ribavirin dose reduction was 37 days. Low baseline haemoglobin was significantly associated with an increased risk of requiring ribavirin dose modification (odds ratio: 0.618 [0.518, 0.738]; P < .001) and developing anaemia (odds ratio: 0.379 [0.243, 0.593]; P < .001). Conclusions: Ribavirin dose reductions were infrequent, occurred early in treatment, and did not impact sustained virological response at 12 weeks post-treatment. Patients with low baseline haemoglobin should be monitored for on-treatment anaemia

Case Report Death from Liver Failure despite Lamivudine Prophylaxis during R-CHOP Chemotherapy due to Rapid Emergence M204 Mutations

Background. Rapid and early emergence of clinically significant LAM resistance is thought to be unlikely during the first year of treatment, and as a result LAM is thought to be a reasonable choice as a first line agent for prophylaxis during chemotherapy. Aim. To report fatal HBV reactivation despite appropriate LAM prophylaxis in two previously treatment-naive individuals undergoing R-CHOP chemotherapy. Case Presentation. Case 1 is a 65-year-old man with chronic HBV infection: HBeAg-negative, HBV DNA 6.65E5 IU/mL, ALT 43 IU/L, and Fibroscan 4.4 kPa, consistent with F0, who was diagnosed with lymphoma that was treated with R-CHOP and LAM prophylaxis. HBV DNA fell to 2.18E1 IU/mL within 2 months of starting LAM. Four months after chemotherapy, despite ongoing LAM of 7-month duration with confirmed adherence, severe asymptomatic hepatitis was noted during routine monitoring with ALT 1019 IU/L, HBeAg negative, HBV DNA 1.43E7 IU/mL, and genotyping confirmed L80I and M204I mutations. He died 14 days after flare diagnosis despite a switch to tenofovir (HBV DNA had fallen to 1.94E5 IU/mL 2 weeks after starting tenofovir). Case 2 is a 50-year-old man who was found to have HBeAg-negative hepatitis B, ALT 37 IU/L, and no clinical features of cirrhosis (platelets 283, APRI 0.19) after lymphoma diagnosis. Lymphoma was treated with R-CHOP and LAM prophylaxis. Pretreatment HBV DNA was not done but was 8.90E4 IU/mL 3 weeks after starting LAM and 3.96E3 IU/mL 3 months after starting LAM. Two months after chemotherapy, despite ongoing LAM of 7-month duration with confirmed adherence, severe symptomatic hepatitis presenting with jaundice, abdominal pain, and confusion was noted. ALT 902 IU/L, HBeAg negative, HBV DNA 1.02E8 IU/mL, and genotyping confirmed L80I, M80V, and M204V/S mutations. He died 3 days after flare diagnosis despite the addition of tenofovir. Conclusion. Lamivudine should not be used for prophylaxis of patients with chronic hepatitis B with detectable HBV DNA undergoing chemotherapy with rituximab containing cytotoxic chemotherapy even if they have never had exposure to lamivudine in the past. In this setting, lamivudine failure due to resistance can develop quickly leading to liver failure that cannot be salvaged with tenofovir. Whether LAM is safe for prophylaxis with rituximab-based cytotoxic chemotherapy for patients with undetectable HBV DNA is unknown, but agents with a high barrier to resistance may be preferable

Factors associated with knowledge and awareness of Hepatitis B in individuals of Chinese descent:Results from a mass point of care testing and outreach campaign in Toronto, Canada

BACKGROUND: Migrants from hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic regions are at high risk of having chronic infection. Despite this, HBV knowledge and awareness programming, and low-barrier screening methods such as point of care (POC) testing, among this group have yet to become routine. METHODS: We conducted a mass HBV POC screening and knowledge and awareness campaign for individuals of Chinese descent in Toronto, Canada. POC screening was administered, then participants completed a knowledge questionnaire. Logistic regression identified associations between demographic factors and participants’ level of HBV knowledge. RESULTS: From 2015 to 2018, 33 outreach events resulted in 891 individuals completing testing and the knowledge questionnaire. Individuals averaged 64.4 years old. Most, 62% (N = 552), were female, and 73.6% (N = 656) have been in Canada for &lt;30 years. The average questionnaire score was 70.7% correct, with 65.2% (N = 581) demonstrating a high level of HBV knowledge. Post-secondary education (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.39), income of 50,000 to <75,000 (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.39, 5.43), and having familial history of HBV (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.78) were associated with high knowledge. The observed prevalence of HBV was 1.5%, with 13 individuals testing positive on the POC test and confirmatory laboratory testing. CONCLUSIONS: Improving knowledge and awareness of HBV is critical to empowering people, especially migrants who experience barriers to care, to pursue vaccination, testing, and treatment. Combining knowledge outreach and POC test campaigns, enabled discussion and screening for HBV with large numbers of people, and can be tailored for optimal effectiveness for specific groups.</p

Factors associated with knowledge and awareness of Hepatitis B in individuals of Chinese descent:Results from a mass point of care testing and outreach campaign in Toronto, Canada

BACKGROUND: Migrants from hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic regions are at high risk of having chronic infection. Despite this, HBV knowledge and awareness programming, and low-barrier screening methods such as point of care (POC) testing, among this group have yet to become routine. METHODS: We conducted a mass HBV POC screening and knowledge and awareness campaign for individuals of Chinese descent in Toronto, Canada. POC screening was administered, then participants completed a knowledge questionnaire. Logistic regression identified associations between demographic factors and participants’ level of HBV knowledge. RESULTS: From 2015 to 2018, 33 outreach events resulted in 891 individuals completing testing and the knowledge questionnaire. Individuals averaged 64.4 years old. Most, 62% (N = 552), were female, and 73.6% (N = 656) have been in Canada for &lt;30 years. The average questionnaire score was 70.7% correct, with 65.2% (N = 581) demonstrating a high level of HBV knowledge. Post-secondary education (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.39), income of 50,000 to <75,000 (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.39, 5.43), and having familial history of HBV (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.78) were associated with high knowledge. The observed prevalence of HBV was 1.5%, with 13 individuals testing positive on the POC test and confirmatory laboratory testing. CONCLUSIONS: Improving knowledge and awareness of HBV is critical to empowering people, especially migrants who experience barriers to care, to pursue vaccination, testing, and treatment. Combining knowledge outreach and POC test campaigns, enabled discussion and screening for HBV with large numbers of people, and can be tailored for optimal effectiveness for specific groups.</p

Efficacy of antiviral therapy and host–virus interactions visualised using serial liver sampling with fine-needle aspirates

Background &amp; Aims: Novel therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), such as RNA interference, target all viral RNAs for degradation, whereas nucleoside analogues are thought to block reverse transcription with minimal impact on viral transcripts. However, limitations in technology and sampling frequency have been obstacles to measuring actual changes in HBV transcription in the liver of patients starting therapy. Methods: We used elective liver sampling with fine-needle aspirates (FNAs) to investigate the impact of treatment on viral replication in patients with CHB. Liver FNAs were collected from patients with CHB at baseline and 12 and 24 weeks after starting tenofovir alafenamide treatment. Liver FNAs were subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing and analysed using the Viral-Track method. Results: HBV was the only viral genome detected and was enriched within hepatocytes. The 5′ sequencing technology identified protein-specific HBV transcripts and showed that tenofovir alafenamide therapy specifically reduced pre-genomic RNA transcripts with little impact on HBsAg or HBx transcripts. Infected hepatocytes displayed unique gene signatures associated with an immunological response to viral infection. Conclusions: Longitudinal liver sampling, combined with single-cell RNA sequencing, captured the dynamic impact of antiviral therapy on the replication status of HBV and revealed host–pathogen interactions at the transcriptional level in infected hepatocytes. This sequencing-based approach is applicable to early-stage clinical studies, enabling mechanistic studies of immunopathology and the effect of novel therapeutic interventions. Impact and Implications: Infection-dependent transcriptional changes and the impact of antiviral therapy on viral replication can be measured in longitudinal human liver biopsies using single-cell RNA sequencing data.</p

Ribavirin potentiates interferon action by augmenting interferon-stimulated gene induction in hepatitis C virus cell culture models

The combination of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin is the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Our recent clinical study suggests that ribavirin augments the induction of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in patients treated for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In order to further characterize the mechanisms of action of ribavirin, we examined the effect of ribavirin treatment on ISG induction in cell culture. In addition, the effect of ribavirin on infectious HCV cell culture systems was studied. Similar to interferon (IFN)-α, ribavirin potently inhibits JFH-1 infection of Huh7.5.1 cells in a dose-dependent manner, which spans the physiological concentration of ribavirin in vivo. Microarray analysis and subsequent quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays demonstrated that ribavirin treatment resulted in the induction of a distinct set of ISGs. These ISGs, including IFN regulatory factors 7 and 9, are known to play an important role in anti-HCV responses. When ribavirin is used in conjunction with IFN-α, induction of specific ISGs is synergistic when compared with either drug applied separately. Direct up-regulation of these antiviral genes by ribavirin is mediated by a novel mechanism different from those associated with IFN signaling and intracellular double-stranded RNA sensing pathways such as RIG-I and MDA5. RNA interference studies excluded the activation of the Toll-like receptor and nuclear factor κB pathways in the action of ribavirin