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April 24, 2003
CDC OFFERS ONLINE HEPATITIS C TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

"Hepatitis C: What Clinicians and Other Health Professionals Need to Know" is a web-based training course for primary care physicians, nurses, infectious disease specialists, blood bank staff, public health professionals, and other health care workers. The Division of Viral Hepatitis and the Division of Media and Training Services, both part of CDC, developed the course to guide health professionals as they face this public health threat.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States: an estimated 3.9 million Americans have been infected with HCV. About 40 percent of the population's chronic liver disease is HCV-related, and the infection causes 8,000-10,000 deaths each year in the United States.

The online course includes a glossary, background information, epidemiology of the disease, screening and diagnostic tests, clinical features and natural history of HCV infection, clinical management and treatment, post-exposure  recommendations, prevention and control recommendations, prevention messages and medical evaluations, surveillance information, and case studies.

The course can be completed in about 2 hours and ACCME, CNE, and CEU continuing education credit is available.

To access "Hepatitis C: What Clinicians and Other Health Professionals Need to Know," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c_training/edu/default.htm

CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis maintains an extensive website with information and resources on hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis
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(2 of 5)
April 24, 2003
CDC REPORT DESCRIBES HEPATITIS C VIRUS TRANSMISSION TO ORGAN AND TISSUE RECIPIENTS OF ANTIBODY-NEGATIVE DONOR

[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 4/7/03.]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Hepatitis C Transmission from an Antibody-Negative Organ and Tissue Donor--United States, 2000-2002" in the April 4 issue of the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR). Part of a summary made available to the press is reprinted below.

"This report describes HCV transmission to recipients of organs or tissues from a donor who had tested negative for HCV infection using a screening antibody test. A patient developed acute hepatitis C after receiving a tissue transplant from a donor. We performed an additional test on the donor's stored serum and detected the RNA of the virus. He was  likely in an early phase of infection before the development of detectable antibodies. The donor was the source of HCV infection for 8 recipients of organs or tissues. Although HCV transmission from antibody-negative donors is likely uncommon, determining the frequency of such transmission will be important in evaluating whether additional prevention measures are warranted."

To obtain the complete text of the report online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5213a2.htm

To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of the report, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5213.pdf
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(3 of 5)
April 24, 2003
HELP IMPROVE HEPATITIS B AND A VACCINATION RATES OF MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN

Studies continue to find that the majority of men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States are not vaccinated against hepatitis B and A, despite being at high risk for both infections. Approximately 15 percent of all new cases of hepatitis B and 10 percent of acute cases of hepatitis A are in individuals who report MSM behavior.

It is estimated that over 80 percent of MSM have health insurance and a regular source of health care, but vaccination rates remain suboptimal. Harold Levine, of Levine & Co., a consulting firm specializing in MSM health issues, says that MSM patients wonder why doctors don't ask about their sexual behavior, while doctors mistakenly think that patients will be offended if they do.

The following are resources to help health professionals better serve their MSM patients/clients:

Hepatitis information from the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA). This website has information about viral hepatitis including risk factors and prevention, GLMA statements, and ordering information for free brochures and a poster. http://www.glma.org/hepatitis/index.html

"Creating a Safe Clinical Environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Patients." Guidelines from the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association.
http://www.glma.org/medical/clinical/lgbti_clinical_guidelines.pdf

"Hepatitis B… 100 Times Easier to Catch than HIV!" A brochure for MSM from the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC).
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4115.htm

"You Don't Have to Go All the Way to Get Hepatitis A." A brochure for MSM from IAC.
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4116.htm

"Do I Need Any Vaccinations Today?" A self-administered questionnaire for adult patients/clients from IAC.
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/4036need.htm

"Are You at Risk for Hepatitis A?" A self-administered questionnaire from IAC.
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2190hepa.htm

"Are You at Risk for Hepatitis B?" A self-administered questionnaire from IAC.
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2191hepb.htm

The MSM index page of IAC's hepatitis prevention programs website. Includes descriptions of model programs for preventing viral hepatitis in MSM and links to related recommendations, organizations, provider and patient resources, and journal article abstracts. http://www.hepprograms.org/msm/index.asp
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(4 of 5)
April 24, 2003
HEPATITIS B FOUNDATION'S "DRUG WATCH" TRACKS COMPOUNDS IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS B

The Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF) publishes information on drugs being developed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B on its "Drug Watch" web page. Information provided includes the family/drug name, mechanism of action, company developing the product, and current approval status of the drug (i.e., has FDA approval or still in testing).

In addition to this drug summary, HBF's Drug Watch web page also includes a description of drug testing phases, links to clinical trial information, and a section titled "Hepatitis Vaccine Watch." To visit this online resource, go to: http://www.hepb.org/02-0099.hepb
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(5 of 5)
April 24, 2003
IAC'S ADULT RECORD CARDS CAN HELP YOUR PATIENTS KEEP TRACK OF THEIR IMMUNIZATIONS

In 2002, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several states to develop an immunization record card for adults. In the last nine months, over a million cards have been distributed to clinics and practices around the nation.

The card is printed on rip-proof, smudge-proof, water-proof canary-yellow paper and comes pre-folded to fit in a wallet alongside other important cards. By providing your patients/clients with their own personal immunization record card, they will always know their vaccination status and next-dose due dates.

IAC's Adult Immunization Record Cards are available at a nominal cost through the Coalition. The cost for one 250-count  box of record cards is $25; two boxes (500 cards) cost $45; three boxes 750 cards), $60; four boxes (1,000 cards), $70. Additional pricing for larger quantities can be found on the online order form (see link below).

To see "actual size" color pictures of IAC's new Adult Immunization Record Cards, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/adultizcards/pictures.htm

To order IAC's new Adult Immunization Record Cards online, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/adultizcards

To order online with a purchase order, go to:
https://www.immunize.org/adultizcards/izcards_po.htm

To print an order form to send with payment information by fax or mail, go to:
https://www.immunize.org/adultizcards/izorder.pdf