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A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Gastroenterology & Hepatopancreatobiliary Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2024) | Viewed by 6071

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nadia Marascio

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Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Microbiology Unit, “Magna Graecia” University, Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: clinical virology; viral pathogenesis; HCV drug resistance; classic and molecular epidemiology; micro-biome and metagenome analysis; infectious diseases; microbiology; viral hepatitis; HIV; antibiotic re-sistance
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Dr. Angela Quirino

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Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Microbiology Unit, “Magna Graecia” University, Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: antibiotic resistance; infectious disease; pathogenic mechanisms; bacteriology; virology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Viral hepatitis is responsible for chronic infections and deaths in millions of cases worldwide. The hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses remain major sources of morbidity and mortality globally, and HBV/hepatitis D virus (HDV) coinfection worsen the symptoms of hepatic disease. Furthermore, acute viral hepatitis is one of the most common infectious illnesses due to the hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis E (HEV) viruses.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) global hepatitis strategy is estimated to reduce new infections and deaths between 2016 and 2030. In this regard, a new vaccine is under development (HEV), a new therapy is available (HDV), and virological screenings are ongoing (HCV and HBV). Seven years remain if we are to achieve the target of the viral hepatitis program proposed by the WHO. Nevertheless, the global burden of viral hepatitis remains severe, especially in low-income countries.

In light of this discussion, we are delighted to announce the upcoming Special Issue of Clinical Medicine entitled “Clinical Research in Viral Hepatitis”. This Special Issue aims to discuss clinical outcomes for people living with viral hepatitis and new relevant research in this field. We invite scholars to submit original research, communications, and review articles. We look forward to receiving your evaluable scientific contributions.

Dr. Nadia Marascio
Dr. Angela Quirino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

HCV
HBV
HDV
HEV
HAV
clinical issues
antiviral resistance
clinical outcome

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1621 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Association between Chronic Hepatitis B/C and Incidence of Osteoporosis and Bone Fractures: Results from a Retrospective Cohort Study

by Sven H. Loosen, Alexander Killer, Hans Henrich Bock, Tom Luedde, Christoph Roderburg and Karel Kostev

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(20), 6152; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13206152 - 16 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1355

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis and bone fractures affect health and quality of life. Since bone disease is multifactorial, identifying risk factors is key in prevention. There are multiple reports on how viral hepatitis, especially chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC), are affecting bone disease, but results vary. Here, we analyzed the potential association between CHB/CHC and osteoporosis or bone fractures in a large outpatient cohort in Germany. Methods: We included 3136 outpatients with CHB and 15,608 matched non-hepatitis individuals as well as 2867 outpatients with CHC and 14,335 matched non-hepatitis individuals from the Disease Analyzer Database between 2005 and 2022. The main outcome was the 5-year cumulative incidence of osteoporosis and bone fractures as a function of either CHB or CHC. Results: Within 5 years of the index date, 2.9% vs. 1.6% of patients with and without CHB were diagnosed with osteoporosis (p = 0.001) and 1.0% vs. 0.4% were diagnosed with bone fractures (p < 0.001). Moreover, 3.3% of CHC patients and 2.2% of individuals without hepatitis C were diagnosed with osteoporosis (p = 0.002). In Cox regression analyses, CHB was significantly associated with an increased risk for osteoporosis (HR: 1.76) and fractures (HR:2.43) and CHC with osteoporosis (HR: 1.54). For both CHB and CHC, the association with osteoporosis was restricted to the female subgroup. Conclusions: CHB and CHC are associated with osteoporosis in women. CHB in male patients is associated with a higher risk of fractures. More research is needed to understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Research in Viral Hepatitis)

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13 pages, 1617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unveiling the Burden of Hepatitis A in Salerno, Italy: A Comprehensive 9-Year Retrospective Study (2015–2023) on the Seroprevalence of HAV Antibodies and Age/Sex Distribution

by Enrica Serretiello, Domenico Iervolino, Giuseppe Di Siervi, Luigi Gallo, Francesca F. Bernardi, Pasquale Pagliano, Giovanni Boccia, Veronica Folliero, Gianluigi Franci and Luca Rinaldi

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(18), 5534; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13185534 - 18 Sep 2024

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Abstract

Background: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a significant global cause of viral hepatitis. At present, the anti-HAV vaccine in Italy is proposed exclusively for specific high-risk groups, and a universal vaccination program is not implemented. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of immunity against HAV in patients of both sexes across age groups ranging from 0 to 95 years admitted to the San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona Hospital in Salerno, Italy, over a 9-year period (2015–2023). Methods: The total HAV seroprevalence by chemiluminescence Vitros system immunodiagnostics (ortho-diagnostics) was obtained by database analysis, stratifying patients for gender and age group in both the pre-pandemic (2015–2019) and pandemic (2020–2023) periods. Results: Out of 28,104 samples collected in 2015–2023, 20,613 resulted positive by total HAV immune screening, with a significant reduction in the annualized proportion of events during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period. HAV was more abundant in males than females in both periods (exceeding the 70%), with a statistically significant decrease in HAV in females in 2015–2019. The 61–70-year-old age group is more susceptible for both genders, with a strong deviation from the 41–50-year-old age group compared to the 51–60-year-old group. The pandemic period affected the number of analyzed samples in 2020. Conclusions: The study revealed high HAV seroprevalence, especially in males and individuals aged 61–70 years. There was a notable decrease in seroprevalence during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic years. These results emphasize the need for ongoing monitoring and suggest that a universal vaccination program could address regional immunity gaps and lower disease incidence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Research in Viral Hepatitis)

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15 pages, 889 KiB

Open AccessArticle

HBV in Italian Women’s Jail: An Underestimated Problem?

by Nicholas Geremia, Federico Giovagnorio, Andrea De Vito, Luca Martignago, Vito Fiore, Elena Rastrelli, Giordano Madeddu, Saverio Giuseppe Parisi, Giulio Starnini, Sandro Panese and Sergio Babudieri

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(5), 1398; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13051398 - 28 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1271

Abstract

Background: There is little information regarding the hepatitis B virus (HBV), vaccination status, and hepatitis B exposure in Italian women’s jails. We aimed to describe the HBV exposure and HBs antibody (anti-HBs) protection levels in female prisoners. Material and methods: A retrospective multicentric study was performed in Italian prisons from 2021 to 2023. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for HBc antibody (anti-HBc) seropositivity and non-protective anti-HBs titer. Results: We included 156 patients. The median age was 41.0 (IQR 34.0–48.0). Of the studied subjects, 31 (19.9%) had anti-HBc positive titer. Two women were HBsAg positive. In the multivariate analysis, older age [OR 1.06 (CI 1.01–1.11), p = 0.011], North-Eastern European [OR 11.67 (3.29–41.30), p < 0.001] and African origin [OR 6.92 (CI 1.51–31.60), p = 0.013], and drug use [OR 6.55 (CI 1.96–21.9), p = 0.002] were risk factors for HBV exposure. Thirty-seven (32%) women had no history of HBV vaccination. Forty-four (38%) had an anti-HBs non-protective titer. In the multivariate analysis, North-Eastern European origin [OR 4.55 (CI 1.19–17.50), p = 0.027] was associated with unprotective anti-HBs titer. Conclusion: Our results show both the low prevalence of HBV and protection in female prisoners. Age, North-Eastern European and African origin, and drug use have a role in exposure risk to HBV. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Research in Viral Hepatitis)

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12 pages, 1361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hepatitis Flares or Hepatic Decompensation after Discontinuation of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Entecavir in Non-Cirrhotic Hepatitis B e Antigen-Negative Patients

by Yi-Jie Huang, Tsai-Chung Li, Cheng-Hsu Chen, Chung-Hsin Chang, Szu-Chia Liao, Shou-Wu Lee, Yen-Chun Peng, Teng-Yu Lee and Jun-Sing Wang

J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(24), 7565; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12247565 - 8 Dec 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1833

Abstract

Hepatic events can occur after discontinuing antiviral therapy. We investigated factors associated with hepatitis flares and hepatic decompensation after discontinuing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and entecavir (ETV). Hepatitis flares within 6 months and hepatic decompensation were compared between non-cirrhotic hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients after discontinuing TDF or ETV by using the Cox proportional hazard model. The cumulative rates of hepatitis flare at 6 months after discontinuing ETV and TDF were 2% and 19%, respectively (p < 0.001). The respective rates of hepatic decompensation at 6 months were 0% and 7% (p = 0.009). Higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (AASLD criteria) at the end of treatment (EOT) (HR = 4.93; p = 0.001), an off-therapy dynamic change in HBV DNA (rapid rebound of HBV DNA from the nadir, ≥1 log₁₀ IU/mL per month) (HR = 10.7; p < 0.001), and the discontinuation of TDF (HR = 6.44; p = 0.006) were independently associated with hepatitis flares within 6 months. Older age (HR = 1.06; p < 0.001) and an off-therapy dynamic change in HBV DNA (HR = 3.26; p = 0.028) were independently associated with hepatic decompensation after the discontinuation of antiviral therapy. In summary, we demonstrated several factors associated with hepatitis flares and hepatic decompensation after discontinuing antiviral therapy in non-cirrhotic hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Research in Viral Hepatitis)

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