"The [Division of #Viral #Hepatitis] Laboratory Branch had the highest degree of viral hepatitis expertise of any #PublicHealth laboratory in the world," wrote Scott Becker, the assn's CEO. "Their loss eliminated critical national testing services that do not exist anywhere else within the #HHS agencies."
As of April 16, the assn had not received a response from #RFKJr, Becker said.
2 days after the lab's scientists received their reduction in force emails, #HHS Secy #RFKJr acknowledged that ~⅕ of the cuts at HHS were made *unintentionally* & some people would be offered their jobs back.
On April 4, the Assn of #PublicHealth Laboratories sent a letter to RFKJr urging HHS to reinstate all personnel in the Division of #Viral #Hepatitis & at the Division of #STD Prevention, another lab at the #CDC that was shuttered.
…Although 4 new samples have already arrived at the lab & 3 more were waiting in #Florida to be sent, none have been tested by the #CDC. Epidemiologists still at the CDC have been trying to find another place that can do the tests but have been unsuccessful….
…w/o the CDC's scientists to test the genetic material, it will be harder for epidemiologists to confirm whether people w/ #hepatitis C were infected in the same doctor's office or somewhere else where the #virus could still be spreading….
The email said their duties were "identified as either unnecessary or virtually identical to duties being performed elsewhere in the agency." But the #genetic #tracing that the #CDC's lab performs is not conducted by any lab in the #UnitedStates or the #world….
While it remains shuttered, ongoing investigations of current #hepatitis #outbreaks have been stalled, not just in #Florida, but also in #Oregon, #Pennsylvania, #Massachusetts, #NewMexico, #Wisconsin, #WestVirginia & #Georgia….
But on April 1, the #outbreak investigation was brought to a halt. All 27 of the lab's scientists received an email from the #HHS informing them that they were losing their #jobs. Like thousands of other employees who received similar emails that day, the scientists were told they would be placed on administrative leave until June 2, after which they would no longer work for the #CDC.
The scientists at the lab knew what they were doing. Quickly, they analyzed the blood from #Florida using their custom software & found that 9 cases were genetically linked to the same pain clinic, where it was later discovered that a doctor was improperly reusing injection vials. By March, ofcls in FL had restricted the doctor's #medical license to limit the spread of the #virus & packaged new patient samples to send to the #CDC for testing…
The #hepatitis C #virus, which is spread through contact w/infected blood & can lead to #deadly liver #cancer, is notoriously hard to identify. But if anyone could understand what was #happening in FL, it would be the Division of #ViralHepatitis in the #CDC's HQ.
Using samples from the lab's collection of nearly 1M frozen specimens, scientists helped make the initial discovery of the #HepatitisC virus in the 1980s. In 2020, that #research was awarded the #NobelPrize in #Medicine.
#Trump #science
In the middle of a #hepatitis #outbreak, #CDC shutters the one lab that could help
After people started testing positive for #HepatitisC in a coastal #Florida town in December, state ofcls collected blood from patients, wrapped their specimens in dry ice & mailed them straight to the CDC in ATL, GA.
#Trump #RFKJr #Musk #DOGE #cuts #idiocracy #kakistocracy #law #USpol #science #medicine #disease
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5355131/hepatitis-cdc-lab-outbreak-ghost
STIs are increasing in Australia. Can anything lower these rates?
By Sam Nichols
Sexual transmitted infections have continued to grow across Australia over the last three decades, with chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis spiking in New South Wales alone. The reasons why are complex, experts say.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-19/sti-increasing-australia-lower-rates/105169548
Among the abrupt termination of #CDC programs was the shuttering of the agency's viral #hepatitis lab. Imagine cops being asked to solve crimes without the capacity to test for fingerprints or swab for DNA. That's what this does to hepatitis surveillance in the US. https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/14/cdc-hepatitis-lab-closes-rif-outbreak-response/
Remember the cases of pediatric fulminant hepatitis after Omicron ran through? Hypothesized to be associated with AAV infection?
Röttele et al. find SARS2 antigens in ACE2-expressing cells, in the areas of significant liver pathology, and conject an "immune-mediated postacute sequel to COVID-19".
In new research reported in Cell, scientists were able to stop hepatitis B virus from infecting human liver cells, with a compound that is currently in trials as a cancer treatment.
#hepatitis #infection #research #biology #science #health #medicine
#Speicherung von #HIV oder #Hepatitis in #Datenbanken der #Polizei - schon vor 10 Jahren haben wir darüber im #NAB Nationalen #Aids Beirat (in dem ich damals Mitglied war) des #BMG diskutiert. Beschämend, dass das immer noch Thema ist
#Stigma #Serophobie
https://magazin.hiv/magazin/systematische-stigmatisierung-polizeikuerzel-anst/
#CDC Centers for Disease Control & Prevention sites datasets removed as of 1/31/25 . Not immediately clear what day they were removed: the Youth Risk Behavior Survey; AtlasPlus, which housed #HIV #AIDS, #Hepatitis and #STD information; #contraception page for #healthcare providers; page on ending #gender based #violence; Evidence supporting recommendations for #HPV vaccination harmonization across genders, ages 22 -26 yrs; #Heartdisease death rates by gender, by county https://www.axios.com/2025/01/31/health-cdc-websites-data-removed-trump
Belangrijke terugroepactie!
Albert Heijn roept AH Zakje Blauwe Bessen terug
De blauwe bessen kunnen besmet zijn met Hepatitis A.
Lees hier welke blauwe bessen je NIET moet eten: https://www.productwaarschuwing.nl/2025/01/terugroepactie-albert-heijn-ah-zakje-met-blauwe-bessen/
#blauwebessen @albertheijn #terugroepactie #Hepatitis
New research from #CharitéBerlin sheds light on the origin of the hepatitis E virus!
According to the study, the virus probably originated in rodents and found its way to humans via hoofed animals. Read more in our paper spotlight:
https://www.charite.de/en/research/paper_spotlight/2024/news_on_the_hepatitis_e_virus/
Frisch aus der #CharitéBerlin-Forschung: Neue Erkenntnisse zum Ursprung des Hepatitis-E-Virus!
Der Studie zufolge stammt das Virus ursprünglich vermutlich aus Nagern und hat über Huftiere den Weg zum Menschen gefunden. Mehr im Paper spotlight:
https://www.charite.de/forschung/paper_spotlight/2024/neues_zum_hepatitis_e_virus/
A fascinating paper. I tried to explore the relationship between COVID and NOVHEP (with far more crude methods) when NOVHEP appeared in 2022 - see below for one of my threads.
I wondered if the Delta variant was a potential cause of NOVHEP, as the geographical distribution correlated better with case rates in the Delta period (Jun-Nov 2021).
#COVID19 #Delta #NOVHEP #Hepatitis
https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/8/1/e002410 
Starb Beethoven an den Folgen von #Hepatitis-B? Dem gehen die HZI-Forscher:innen Melanie Brinkmann & Thomas Pietschmann @TWINCORE in der 2. #InFact-Adventsfolge nach & nehmen Euch mit auf eine spannende medizinische Spurensuche. https://infacthzi.podigee.io/20-beethoven-und-hepatitis-b-eine-medizinische-spurensuche
Ihr mögt Videos lieber als Podcasts? Das Video vom Vortrag findet ihr auf unserem Youtube-Kanal: https://youtu.be/JQpb-lW3axw
