Hep C Spread in North America: When and How did it Start?
Timing of the rise of hep C in North America is a puzzle. In this Medical News Minute, Dr Bobby Lazzara toplines results of a new study that offer clarity.
In this Medical News Minute, developed exclusively for Consultantlive.com, Dr. Bobby Lazzara discusses a study that sought to clarify timing of the initial spread of the hepatitis C virus genotype 1A in North America.
Published in Lancet Infectious Disease, the study results suggest that factors other than historically stigmatized “risky behaviors” were key contributors to the notable rise and prevalence of the disease in specific demographic groups.
Source: Joy JB, McCloskey RM, Nguyen T, et al. The spread of hepatitis C virus genotype 1a in North America: a retrospective phylogenetic study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016;16:698-702. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(16)00124-9. Epub 2016 Mar 30.
