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March 31, 2003
NATIONAL VIRAL HEPATITIS INFORMATION CENTER UPDATES ITS EDUCATION MATERIALS ORDER FORM

The National Virus Hepatitis Information Center, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has updated its educational materials order form. Resources for both patients and health professionals can be ordered at no charge.

To order online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/resource/materials.htm

To print out an order form that can be faxed or mailed to CDC, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/orderform/orderform_11_02.pdf

Interested parties can also obtain the order form by calling the division's hotline at (888) 443-7232 (4HEPCDC).
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March 31, 2003
CDC RELEASES RECOMMENDATIONS ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF HEPATITIS VIRUS INFECTIONS IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS FOLLOWED BY AN ERRATA ANNOUNCEMENT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Prevention and Control of Infections with Hepatitis Viruses in Correctional Settings" in the January 24 issue of "MMWR Recommendations and Reports" (MMWR). The  report was prepared by the Division of Viral Hepatitis of the National Center for Infectious Diseases. The summary is reprinted below.

"This report consolidates previous recommendations and adds new ones for preventing and controlling infections with hepatitis viruses in correctional settings. These recommendations provide guidelines for juvenile and adult correctional  systems regarding 1) identification and investigation of acute viral hepatitis; 2) preexposure and postexposure  immunization for hepatitis A and hepatitis B; 3) prevention of hepatitis C virus infection and its consequences; 4) health education; and 5) release planning. Implementation of these recommendations can reduce transmission of infections with hepatitis viruses among adults at risk in both correctional facilities and the outside community. These recommendations were developed after consultation with other federal agencies and specialists in the fields of corrections, correctional  health care, and public health at a meeting in Atlanta, March 5-7, 2001. This report can serve as a resource for those involved in planning and implementing health-care programs for incarcerated persons."

An appendix titled "Hepatitis A and B Vaccines" was included in the January 24 MMWR. This document provides basic information on the administration, efficacy, and safety of hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines in all indicated situations,  not just in correctional settings.

To obtain the full report, including appendix, in camera-ready (PDF) format, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5201.pdf

To obtain the text of the report without the appendix, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5201a1.htm

To view the appendix separately as a text (HTML) document, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5201a2.htm

In the March 14 MMWR, CDC published an errata for "Prevention and Control of Infections with Hepatitis Viruses in Correctional Settings."

To obtain the complete text of the Errata online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5210a9.htm
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March 31, 2003
CDC RELEASES "GUIDELINES FOR LABORATORY TESTING AND RESULT REPORTING OF ANTIBODY TO HEPATITIS C VIRUS"

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Guidelines for Laboratory Testing and Result Reporting of Antibody to Hepatitis C Virus" in the February 7 issue of the "MMWR Recommendations and Reports"(MMWR).

The Division of Viral Hepatitis of the National Center for Infectious Diseases prepared the guidelines. Parts of the summary are reprinted below.

"Testing for the presence of antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) is recommended for initially identifying persons with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. . . ."

"These guidelines expand recommendations for anti-HCV testing to include an option for reflex supplemental testing based on screening-test--positive signal-to-cut--off (s/co) ratios. . .These guidelines were developed on the basis of available knowledge of CDC staff in consultation with representatives from the Food and Drug Administration and public health, hospital, and independent laboratories. Adoption of these guidelines by all public and private laboratories that perform in vitro diagnostic anti-HCV testing will improve the accuracy and utility of reported anti-HCV test results for counseling and medical evaluation of patients by health-care professionals and for surveillance by public health departments."

To obtain the complete text of the guidelines online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5203a1.htm

To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of the guidelines, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5203.pdf
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March 31, 2003
HEPATITIS C RESOURCES FOR U.S. VETERANS AND THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest single provider of medical care to people with hepatitis C infection in the United States. The VA National Hepatitis C Program works to ensure that patients with or at risk for hepatitis C virus infection receive quality health care services. The program uses a comprehensive approach that includes screening, testing and counseling, patient and provider education, clinical care, and management of data to improve program quality.

Information about the VA National Hepatitis C Program can be found online at: http://www.va.gov/hepatitisc

This website includes an extensive section of resources for patients (not just veterans) dealing with hepatitis C infection and another excellent section for providers.

Patient education section:
http://www.va.gov/hepatitisc/pted/pted.htm

Health professional education section:
http://www.va.gov/hepatitisc/pved/pved.htm
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March 31, 2003
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S "VIRAL HEPATITIS COMPENDIUM" A GOOD RESOURCE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

The November/December 2002 issue of the Minnesota Department of Health's "Disease Control Newsletter" is titled "Viral Hepatitis Compendium." A description of this project follows:

"This compendium of resources on hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) was compiled to clarify distinctions between the viral hepatitides and to facilitate diagnostic testing, reporting, and disease prevention and control activities. These resources were derived from recommendations and guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases."

This valuable resource is available online in PDF (camera-ready) format at
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/dpc/ades/dcn/0211dcn.pdf
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March 31, 2003
NOW TWO YEARS OLD, IAC'S HEPATITIS PREVENTION PROGRAMS WEBSITE HAS GROWN IN SIZE AND SCOPE

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) launched www.hepprograms.org in March 2001 as a way to highlight programs successfully preventing hepatitis A, B, and/or C in adults and adolescents at risk of infection. This website initially featured 32 programs in 7 categories with links to a small number of related recommendations and organizations.

Two years later, the site has grown to include 81 programs in 10 categories: programs for men who have sex with men, STD/HIV clinics, family planning clinics, drug treatment/needle exchange programs, juvenile corrections, adult  corrections, programs for the homeless, school-based programs for adolescents, programs for Asian Pacific Islander Americans, and other programs.

IAC has increasingly seen this website as more than a collection of model programs and has worked to increase the usefulness of the site for those who develop or manage programs for populations at risk. In addition to the 81 model programs, the site now includes links to over a hundred related journal articles, dozens of organizations, and a wealth of resources for both providers and clients.

Feel free to offer IAC feedback and information on ways to make www.hepprograms.org even more useful. If you have a hepatitis prevention program for adults or adolescents at risk that is not listed, we would love to add your project to the site: just complete the form titled "Tell us about your program" at http://www.hepprograms.org/tellus.htm Here's to another great year!
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March 31, 2003
NUMEROUS HEPATITIS A AND B RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM IAC

The Immunization Action Coalition's (IAC) primary website for health professionals (www.immunize.org) offers health professionals a wealth of online information about viral hepatitis, including the following web pages:

Information about hepatitis B virus infection and the HBV vaccine, including links to journal article abstracts:
http://www.immunize.org/hepb

Information about hepatitis A virus infection and the HAV vaccine, including links to journal article abstracts:
http://www.immunize.org/hepa

Safety of hepatitis B vaccine:
http://www.immunize.org/safety/hepb.htm

Hepatitis B state prevention mandates:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/hepb.htm

IAC's birth dose web resources:
http://www.immunize.org/birthdose

Immunization and health care workers:
http://www.immunize.org/hcw

Tattooing and body piercing information:
http://www.immunize.org/tattoos

International adoption and hepatitis B:
http://www.immunize.org/adoption
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March 31, 2003
IAC INTRODUCES "HEP EXPRESS" LISTSERV

"HEP EXPRESS" is a new electronic news service produced by the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) with funding from the Division of Viral Hepatitis of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We would appreciate your feedback and ideas on future topics. Also, let us know if you have developed hepatitis prevention resources that can be shared with others or are sponsoring a hepatitis-related training or conference.

Feel free to forward this issue to others. Persons interested in obtaining a free subscription can register at www.hepprograms.org/hepexpress "HEP EXPRESS" will be published every 2-4 weeks.

Please address correspondence to: hepxadmin@hepprograms.org