2nd National workshop on hepatitis

The 2nd National Workshop on Hepatitis was held at the Christophe Mérieux Center of Infectiology of Laos (CILM) from September 4-6, 2013. The Vice Minister of Health, Prof. Som Ock Kingsada, opened the event, attended by 70 participants from 17 provinces of Laos.

Prof. Dény, Prof. Trépo, Dr. Datti, and Dr. Jourdain, were among the experts who shared their knowledge with the Laotian doctors present. This follows the first edition, which was organized in March 2012. The purpose of this conference was to disseminate knowledge on hepatitis, and on the prevention, transmission, and treatment of the disease.

Dr. Paboriboune, the Scientific Director of the CICML, presented the Center’s activities in the field of hepatitis:

• B and C viral loads (in 700 patients)
• forthcoming availability of serological markers (HBsAg/HBeAg antigens and anti-HBs/HBc/HBe antibodies), expected to improve the diagnosis and the follow up of patients infected with hepatitis B.
• genotyping of B and C viruses, a major factor in patient treatment decisions.

During this workshop, participants reviewed the natural development of the disease into fibrosis and cirrhosis, the prevalence and the burden of the hepatitis facing the health care system, and the timing of the beginning of treatment in accordance with various biological and immunological criteria.

A special point was raised on the prescription of Cycloferon that has been claimed to treat hepatitis B in Laos, but which has had absolutely no effect. The experts have therefore urged practitioners not to prescribe this drug for the treatment of HBV. At the end of three days of constructive discussion and exchanges around clinical case studies, it was decided that this event would be repeated in 2014.