A large-scale screening of hepatitis C among men who have sex with men in the community using saliva point-of-care testing.

Aim: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of massive hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing in point of care on the street using quick tests, determine the characteristics of the population included, and the prevalence of HCV infection in this population.

Methods: Cross-sectional community-based study including adult men who have sex with men (MSM) who attended the three most important LGTB+ events in Sitges (Catalonia, Spain) in 2022. Points of care were set up on tents on the street and attendees were offered voluntary anti-HCV antibody self-testing.

OPTI-HEP-D: a protocol for an intervention study comprising screening and linkage to care of people living with hepatitis D in Catalonia.

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects 296 million people globally, causing 780 000 annual deaths. It has been estimated that 12-43 million individuals are co-infected with hepatitis D virus (HDV). In Spain, the prevalence of HBsAg in adults is 0.

Hepatitis E as a trigger for Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

Acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is typically self-limiting and has a favourable prognosis. However, certain populations such as patients with pre-existing chronic liver disease may experience severe manifestations, including progression to acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Among viral hepatitis types, hepatitis A, E, and B are major causes of ACLF.

Eight-year efficacy and safety of tenofovir alafenamide for treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection: Final results from two randomised phase 3 trials.

Background: In two phase 3 studies, tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) showed non-inferior efficacy versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), with more favourable renal and bone safety in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Aims: Here, we report the studies' final 8-year results.

Methods: CHB patients (hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]-negative and HBeAg-positive) were randomised (2:1) to double-blind TAF 25 mg/day or TDF 300 mg/day for up to 3 years, followed by open-label (OL) TAF through year 8.

Sequential Peg-IFN after bepirovirsen may reduce post-treatment relapse in chronic hepatitis B.

Background & Aims: Bepirovirsen, an antisense oligonucleotide, induces sustained reductions in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA to below the lower limit of quantification (
Methods: In this phase IIb, multicentre, open-label trial, participants on stable nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy were randomised 1:1 to bepirovirsen 300 mg once weekly (plus loading dose on Days 4 and 11) for 24 (Arm 1) or 12 (Arm 2) weeks followed by Peg-IFN 180 μg once weekly for up to 24 weeks, with up to 36 weeks follow-up.

Enhancing linkage to care for hepatitis B, D, and C patients: A retrospective-prospective study.

Background: The WHO has set a goal to decrease viral hepatitis-related fatalities by 65% by 2030.

Aims: To locate and retrieve to care all individuals diagnosed with hepatitis B, D or C, and investigate why they were not linked to appropriate medical management.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective-prospective search for patients with hepatitis B, D or C virus (HBV, HDV and HCV) infection in the central laboratory database of the Barcelona northern health area (catchment population, 450,000).

Patient-reported outcomes in chronic hepatitis delta: An exploratory analysis of the phase III MYR301 trial of bulevirtide.

Background & Aims: Once-daily treatment of chronic hepatitis delta (CHD) with bulevirtide is well tolerated and associated with significant reductions in HDV RNA in the blood and in biochemical liver disease activity. This study explored the effects of 48-week bulevirtide treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with CHD.

Methods: In an open-label, randomised, phase III trial, 150 patients with CHD and compensated liver disease were stratified by cirrhosis status and randomised 1:1:1 to no treatment (control), bulevirtide 2 mg/day, or bulevirtide 10 mg/day for 48 weeks.

Genome-wide transcript expression analysis reveals major chickpea and lentil genes associated with plant branching.

The search for elite cultivars with better architecture has been a demand by farmers of the chickpea and lentil crops, which aims to systematize their mechanized planting and harvesting on a large scale. Therefore, the identification of genes associated with the regulation of the branching and architecture of these plants has currently gained great importance. Herein, this work aimed to gain insight into transcriptomic changes of two contrasting chickpea and lentil cultivars in terms of branching pattern (little highly branched cultivars).

Stratified analyses refine association between TLR7 rare variants and severe COVID-19.

Despite extensive global research into genetic predisposition for severe COVID-19, knowledge on the role of rare host genetic variants and their relation to other risk factors remains limited. Here, 52 genes with prior etiological evidence were sequenced in 1,772 severe COVID-19 cases and 5,347 population-based controls from Spain/Italy. Rare deleterious TLR7 variants were present in 2.

Long-term outcome of hepatitis delta in different regions world-wide: Results of the Hepatitis Delta International Network.

Background And Aims: Chronic hepatitis delta represents a major global health burden. Clinical features of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection vary largely between different regions worldwide. Treatment approaches are dependent on the approval status of distinct drugs and financial resources.

In-Host Flat-like Quasispecies: Characterization Methods and Clinical Implications.

The repeated failure to treat patients chronically infected with hepatitis E (HEV) and C (HCV) viruses, despite the absence of resistance-associated substitutions (RAS), particularly in response to prolonged treatments with the mutagenic agents of HEV, suggests that quasispecies structure may play a crucial role beyond single point mutations. Quasispecies structured in a flat-like manner (referred to as flat-like) are considered to possess high average fitness, occupy a significant fraction of the functional genetic space of the virus, and exhibit a high capacity to evade specific or mutagenic treatments. In this paper, we studied HEV and HCV samples using high-depth next-generation sequencing (NGS), with indices scoring the different properties describing flat-like quasispecies.

Genotyping Hepatitis B virus by Next-Generation Sequencing: Detection of Mixed Infections and Analysis of Sequence Conservation.

Our aim was to develop an accurate, highly sensitive method for HBV genotype determination and detection of genotype mixtures. We examined the preS and 5' end of the HBV X gene (5X) regions of the HBV genome using next-generation sequencing (NGS). The 1852 haplotypes obtained were subjected to genotyping via the Distance-Based discrimination method (DB Rule) using two sets of 95 reference sequences of genotypes A-H.

Joint host-pathogen genomic analysis identifies hepatitis B virus mutations associated with human NTCP and HLA class I variation.

Evolutionary changes in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome could reflect its adaptation to host-induced selective pressure. Leveraging paired human exome and ultra-deep HBV genome-sequencing data from 567 affected individuals with chronic hepatitis B, we comprehensively searched for the signatures of this evolutionary process by conducting "genome-to-genome" association tests between all human genetic variants and viral mutations. We identified significant associations between an East Asian-specific missense variant in the gene encoding the HBV entry receptor NTCP (rs2296651, NTCP S267F) and mutations within the receptor-binding region of HBV preS1.

Real-life effectiveness of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir in hepatitis C patients previously treated with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir.

Background: Sofosbuvir, velpatasvir and voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX) is the recommended rescue therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection who fail direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Data are limited on the effectiveness of this treatment after the current first-line therapies. Our aim was to analyse the effectiveness and safety of SOF/VEL/VOX among patients failing sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB).

Hepatitis-C-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Still a Relevant Etiology beyond a Hepatitis C Infection Cure.

Background: In the past decades, global changes, including hepatitis B vaccination, hepatitis B and C antiviral therapies, and the increasing prevalence of steatotic liver disease, have influenced the landscape of liver cancer etiologies.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study focused on the etiological factors of de novo hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnoses in an academic center between 2019 and 2022.

Results: Among 352 consecutive patients with HCC, alcohol-related liver disease was the predominant etiology (33.

JNJ-73763989 and bersacapavir treatment in nucleos(t)ide analogue-suppressed patients with chronic hepatitis B: REEF-2.

Background & Aims: Functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires finite treatment. Two agents under investigation with the goal of achieving functional cure are the small-interfering RNA JNJ-73763989 (JNJ-3989) and the capsid assembly modulator JNJ-56136379 (JNJ-6379; bersacapavir).

Methods: REEF-2, a phase IIb, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, enrolled 130 nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-suppressed hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients with CHB who received JNJ-3989 (200 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks) + JNJ-6379 (250 mg oral daily) + NA (oral daily; active arm) or placebos for JNJ-3989 and JNJ-6379 +active NA (control arm) for 48 weeks followed by 48 weeks off-treatment follow-up.

Mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with tenofovir or entecavir: A multinational study.

Background And Aim: The benefits of entecavir (ETV) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in reducing the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related hepatocellular carcinoma remain controversial. Whether mortality rates differ between patients with CHB treated with ETV and those treated with TDF is unclear.

Methods: A total of 2542 patients with CHB treated with either ETV or TDF were recruited from a multinational cohort.