In May 2005, near its beginning, the HepTalk Project presented a position paper, "Hepatitis Screening, Immunization and Testing for Mobile Populations and Immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean" It has been updated with new immunization guidelines. This publication clarifies standard hepatitis immunization and testing recommendations for these populations.

HepQuick, also newly updated, incorporates specifics for mobile clients and recent immigrants from the position paper.

We are finishing a three part series on substance abuse and Hepatitis B and C.

Our focus this month is treatment for Hepatitis B and C.

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month. In light of this, we're posting a special edition for the month of May. The Migrant Clinicians Network is happy to release the position paper "Hepatitis Screening, Immunization and Testing for Mobile Populations and Immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean." This paper clarifies standard hepatitis recommendations for these populations.

"Substance Use and Migrant Labor, Part One" The number of substances reported “ever used” by 127 farm workers in a study conducted in three southern states (Inscription in Drug Use among Farm Workers) ranged from one (17 persons) to ten/more (6 persons)

We began in July with information about substance abuse among migrant workers. The current edition is Harm Reduction Strategies for HCV Substance Abusers. Potential substance abuse treatment sites and resources for migrants will follow in September.

Includes: 1. Substance Use and Migrant Labor: Part Two 2. Effects of hepatitis C virus co-infection on survival in veterans with HIV treated with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. 3. Integrating Hepatitis, STD, and HIV Services into a Drug Rehabilitation Program. 4. The impact of barriers to Hepatitis C virus treatment in recovering heroin users maintained on methadone. (HepTalk project note: one of the agencies and some of the authors involved in this study are from the Oasis agency, one of MCN's peers in the Viral Hepatitis Education and Training co-hort of current CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis grantees. We are planning to use some of Oasis' excellent educational materials in our clinician training.) 5. Knowledge of and interest in hepatitis C treatment at a methadone clinic.

The Global Fund was created to finance a dramatic turn-around in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. These diseases kill over 6 million people each year, and the numbers are growing.

The NASTAD Viral Hepatitis Program has been funded by CDC to develop a comprehensive model for coordination between HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis programs.

The June /July edition of the HepTalk Listserv will be devoted to Cultural Compentency. We're very pleased to welcome Dr. Jennie McLauren as the Listserv Editor for June 2006.

Important new document from the CDC, plus links to two good references, one for treatment of Hepatitis B and one for Hepatitis C. 1. CDC ISSUES ACIP'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON ELIMINATION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION IN U.S. ADULTS. 2. Management of Hepatitis C: 2002 National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference Statement. The NIH consensus statement is a good reference for HCV treatment specifics. 3. A Physician's Guide to Chronic Hepatitis B Treatment from the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. 4. Archives for HepTalk Listserv 2006

When we traveled across the country to visit your clinics, many of you expressed concerns about lack of funding for adult immunization and testing. Reprinted from the Immunization Action Coalition, we pass along an opportunity: IAC Express, Issue Number 642, January 24, 2007.

We are sending you just one important resource for May and June, a guide for interpreting immunization schedules from Mexico, including Hepatitis B.

1. Recruitment and Retention 2. Hablamos Juntos "We speak together" 3. The Cross Cultural Health Care Program 4. Roadmaps for Clinical Practice series - Improving Immunization