DDP E-Bulletin: July 2025

Posted on by DDP PR Coordinator
July E-Bulletin Stock Photo, Virginia Beach

Hep Free Virginia: Virginia’s Hepatitis Elimination Plan

DDP has collaborated with a range of statewide stakeholders to create Hep Free VA, Virginia’s Viral Hepatitis Elimination Plan.  The plan aims to eliminate viral hepatitis in Virginia by 2030 by achieving six main goals. 

There’s a New PrEP Option!

Lenacapavir was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 18 for use as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).  It is an injection given twice a year. It will be sold under the brand name Yeztugo (yez-TOO-go).  Clinical trials proved the drug blocked HIV in 100% of >2,000 cisgender women who’d received it in the PURPOSE 1 trial.  The drug blocked HIV in nearly 100% of>2,000 cisgender men and gender-diverse persons who’d received it in the PURPOSE 2 trial.

 

Hotline Discontinuing Mailing of Print Materials

DDP will be discontinuing its library/warehouse of print materials for health districts and community partners. Educational materials and resources will instead be available on the DDP website in electronic format for download. These electronic resources can be printed by agencies or shared online.

Agencies can continue to order print materials that are currently in stock until September 30, 2025.

For any questions about this transition, please contact the Disease Prevention Hotline at std-hivhotline@vdh.virginia.gov or (800) 533-4148.

 

Hepatitis Program Poster Presented at CSTE Conference

In 2024, DDP launched a pilot Hepatitis Hepatitis Program Poster Presented at CSTEC Virus (HCV) Genomic Surveillance program in the Southwest health region.  The program is intended to show effective integration of data for identifying transmission networks, specifically, genomic and epidemiological data.  This approach aims to support targeted public health responses and interventions.  By October 1, 2024, DDP analyzed 137 cases using the CDC-developed Global Hepatitis Outbreak Surveillance Technology (GHOST) bioinformatics system.  It identified eight single-linkage clusters and two multi-linkage, jurisdiction-spanning clusters.  Notably, mixed infections were detected within both multi-linkage clusters.  This indicated recent transmission events.

Findings highlighted that targeted genomic surveillance could detect active HCV transmission networks.  Furthermore, combining genomic data with epidemiological surveillance enables more precise allocation of resources and focused public health action.

DDP’s Tabatha Heaton presented these results as a poster at the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) 2025 Conference.

For more information, contact Tabatha at tabatha.heaton@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

VDH Mpox Webpages Now Live!

The DDP Mpox webpages are now live!

DDP has taken ownership of the mpox webpages for VDH.  The new URL for the main mpox page is https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/disease-prevention/mpox.  However, the vanity URL of vdh.virginia.gov/mpox will continue to work and will redirect to the new mpox page.

There is also an mpox resources page with print, social media, video, and toolkit resources for healthcare providers and partner agencies.

For any questions about the new pages or to report any issues, please contact Chris Barnett, Public Relations Coordinator, at christopher.barnett@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

New Peer-Reviewed Paper on Trends in ADAP Support

NASTAD and the University of Virginia have shared a new peer-reviewed paper published by the American Journal of Public Health.  The title of the paper is “Trends in AIDS Drug Assistance Program Support for People With HIV, by Age, Sex, Race, and US Region, 2008-2021.”  Dr. Kathleen McManus of UVA is the lead author and principal investigator of a research project conducted in partnership with NASTAD.  This longitudinal study provides an analysis of the evolution of ADAPs.  It does this through examining 14 years of state-level data, beginning in 2008.

Key findings include:

  • Dramatic growth in use
  • Persistent racial and sex-based disparities
  • Impact of Medicaid expansion and geography
  • An aging clientele

Read the full paper for complete findings, conclusions, and implications.

 

CDR Implementation Learning and Collaborative

CDR Staff
Left to right: Zimako Chucks, Christine Vanover, Jessica Gasvoda, and Rachel Stallings

HIV Surveillance staff attended the Cluster Detection and Response (CDR) Implementation Learning Collaborative (ILC) meeting hosted by NASTAD in Atlanta Georgia in June.  During the meeting, VDH staff learned best practices and novel approaches about CDR work.  They also were able to have engaging talks with federal partners and other jurisdictions.

To learn more about the DDP CDR program please visit our CDR webpage.  For questions about the program, please contact Christina Martone, CDR Program Coordinator, at christina.martone@vdh.virginia.gov.

 

Personnel Announcements

No DDP personnel updates for July 2025.