Hepititis C Vaccine ? ? ?

[Guest guest]

http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=13284

 

 

http://www.ivanhoe.com

 

 

Reported March 13, 2006

Hepatitis C Vaccine

 

 

ST. LOUIS (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- It's been called the silent

epidemic. Four million Americans now live with it. And there's no

cure. As many as 200 million people around the world have hepatitis

C, and researchers expect that number to triple in the next decade.

The virus can cause liver cancer and even death. But there may soon

be a way to prevent it.

 

Kathie Bryson is one of the victims. She has hepatitis C. She got it

through a needle she touched while working as a nurse. " The first

thing out of my mouth was, I didn't do anything wrong, " she says. " I

was terrified because I knew that hepatitis C was pretty much a

killer. "

 

Bryson also developed liver cancer. After surgery and four months of

chemo, she's just happy to be alive. " I kind of laugh that every day

if I wake up, and I'm not feeling good, I know I'm still here, " she

says. " I say if I wake up one day and I feel great, then I'll know

I've died. "

 

Hepatitis C is a contagious virus that travels through the

bloodstream and infects the liver. Researchers at St. Louis

University are now testing the first vaccine in humans to prevent

hepatitis C.

 

" This is an infection that causes a very bad disease. If we can find

something to prevent people from becoming infected, that would be a

great thing, " Sharon Frey, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at

Saint Louis University School of Medicine, tells Ivanhoe.

 

In her study, 60 patients received four different doses of the

hepatitis C vaccine. All the patients produced antibodies that

researchers believe could protect them from the virus.

 

Dr. Frey says, " If a vaccine can develop those responses, hopefully

then it will protect a person from becoming infected or developing

disease. "

 

Bryson hopes it will. " It would be incredible, " she says. " It would

be a blessing. I just hope that I live long enough to see it. " So

far, she's beaten the odds and hopes others will get a chance to do

the same.

 

The only side effects of the vaccine were pain and tenderness.

Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood and sexual intercourse. You

can get it through needles or blood transfusions.

 

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts

by e-mail every day of the week. To , go to:

http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

 

If you would like more information, please contact:

 

Nancy Solomon

Saint Louis University Medical Center

3525 Caroline Mall

Saint Louis, MO 63104

(314) 977-8017

solomonn

http://www.slu.edu/