Government’s vaccination policy decisions such as reduction in antigen doses could be giving rise to new variants of hepatitis A in some populations. The population being referred to here is men-having-sex-with-men (MSM).
Frozen Pomegranate Causes Hepatitis A in Australia
People who purchased imported frozen pomegranate at Coles supermarket have developed hepatitis A. NSW Health is trying to warn everyone who bought the product to throw it out immediately and to get vaccinated.
People who purchased imported frozen pomegranate at Coles supermarket have developed hepatitis A. NSW Health is trying to warn everyone who bought the product to throw it out immediately and to get vaccinated.
‘The decisions that are taken to hamper vaccine shortages such as reduction of antigen doses could have consequences on the evolution of hepatitis A virus. The study suggests that it could be leading to the emergence of antigenic variants.’
The study, led by the Research Group on Enteric Viruses of the UB, in collaboration with Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and the Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB), can have implications in the vaccination policies against the disease. The article counts on the participation of the lecturers Aurora Sabrià, Albert Bosch, Susana Guix and Rosa Maria Pintó, from the Department of Genetics, Microbiology, and Statistics of the Faculty of Biology of the UB.
A virus antigenic variants
Vaccination may Help Prevent Hepatitis A Outbreaks
Compared to previous years, several EU countries have seen large increases in hepatitis A in 2017 and these are mainly affecting men who have sex with men.
Compared to previous years, several EU countries have seen large increases in hepatitis A in 2017 and these are mainly affecting men who have sex with men.
This study analyzed samples from MSM patients, both vaccinated and non-vaccinated, who caught the virus during an outbreak of Hepatitis A in Barcelona (2016-2018).
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Hepatitis A Virus Likely of Animal Origin Like HIV and Ebola
A large-scale study looking into the evolutionary origins of hepatitis A virus suggests that the virus is of likely animal origin like HIV and Ebola.
A large-scale study looking into the evolutionary origins of hepatitis A virus suggests that the virus is of likely animal origin like HIV and Ebola.
The appearance of the Hepatitis A virus antigenic variants could become a threat to public health and could have consequences in the future uses of the currently available vaccines. "If we select a variant which escapes the vaccine, this one would stop being effective. The study shows that in cases such as the occurred one due to the lack of vaccines, this can happen", notes the researcher.
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Researchers Identify Human Relative of Hepatitis A Virus in Seals
The findings raise the question of whether hepatitis A originated in animals, like many other viruses that are now adapted to humans.
The findings raise the question of whether hepatitis A originated in animals, like many other viruses that are now adapted to humans.
In some countries, controlling recent outbreaks of Hepatitis A has been blocked by the low coverage of vaccination and lack of vaccines, which made administrations apply restrictions in the doses.
During the outbreak, these restrictions affected especially people in the MSM group. "If a few doses of vaccination are given, or if the common doses were given long ago, or the vaccine is given to patients who caught the virus weeks ago, those variants of the virus that avoid the effects of the vaccine can be selected. This is especially relevant in the MSM group, since the virus dose through risky sexual practices is very high, and circulating antibodies are not enough to neutralize the inoculum or the first produced viruses", says Rosa Maria Pintó.
In this sense, researchers recommend giving two doses of the vaccine and, in some situations stated in the publication, they suggest giving additional booster doses.
Apart from specifying the vaccination protocol, the expert states they should "work in order to have easier-to-get vaccines so there are no vaccine shortages and doses do not have to be reduced."
Source-Eurekalert
