Microbiology
A virus.
Epidemiologic Risks
Chronic active hepatitis B, the D virus requires the B virus to multiply.
Hepatitis D viremia was present in 35.6% of HBsAg-positive IVDA in San Franciso (PubMed)
"Among adults in the 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the estimated prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 0.36% overall and 3.4% in non-Hispanic Asians. Among adult HBsAg carriers, 42% had antibodies to hepatitis delta virus (anti-HDV). Routine anti- HDV testing should be considered for HBsAg carriers (PubMed)."
Syndromes
Acute worsening of hepatitis in someone with Hepatitis B.
Treatment
Peginterferon alfa-2a for 48 weeks, with or without adefovir, resulted in sustained HDV RNA clearance in 25-50% of patients (PubMed)(PubMed).
Notes
Is Hepatitis D way cool OR what? It is a virus that needs another hepatitis virus to multiply.
Last Update: 08/17/19.