Molecular genetic association of rs8099917 and rs1800795 polymorphisms in the progression of hepatitis Delta virus liver disease

Background: The relationship between viral infections and host factors holds high hopes for identifying the role of Interferon Lambda 3 (IFNL3) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6) polymorphisms in the development of Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) in patients infected with hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted with a cohort of 40 chronic HDV patients, 27 with CLD and 13 without evident liver damage. Biological samples from the participants were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, followed by sequencing by the automated Sanger method. Results: The rs8099917 T allele, from the IFNL3 gene, showed a higher frequency in both groups; however, it was not possible to establish an association with HDV infection [OR = 1.42 (0.42 - 4.75; p = 0.556 (95% CI). For IL-6, the rs1800795 G allele was superior to rs1800795 C. Analyzing both distributions in the studied groups, any association with HDV was absent (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that the rs8099917 T/G (IFNL3) and rs1800795 G/C (IL-6) polymorphisms are not associated with the evolution of HDV in the studied population.

Research history of hepatitis D in China / 临床肝胆病杂志

Since the discovery of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in the 1970s, Chinese scholars have started to conduct extensive studies on HDV and hepatitis D (HD). By searching for related articles published on the platforms of Chinese scientific and technological journals and the journals in PubMed database by Chinese scholars, this article comprehensively analyzes and summarizes the advances and scientific findings in HDV and HD by Chinese scholars from basic to clinical research from the perspective of historical development. Over the past years, Chinese scholars have conducted extensive research on the establishment of detection techniques and methods, the construction of infected animal models, the function and application of ribozymes, and clinical diagnosis and manifestation. The research findings in the past 40 years have laid a foundation for further research on the virological characteristics, infection mechanism, and immune response and injury of HDV, the clinicopathological changes of HD, and related antiviral treatment.

Detection methods for hepatitis D antibodies: A comparative analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatitis D is a severe form of viral hepatitis caused by co-infection with hepatitis D virus (HDV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) or superinfection of HDV in HBV carriers. There is still a huge gap in the diagnosis of hepatitis D due to insufficient emphasis on this disease for a long time. With the advances in related studies in recent years, the academia and the medical industry have gradually realized the harm of hepatitis D, and meanwhile, breakthroughs in drug development have also brought new opportunities for the treatment or even cure of hepatitis D. These advances greatly increase the demand for the diagnosis of hepatitis D. HDV antibodies are the key markers for the diagnosis of hepatitis D. This article summarizes and compares the detection methods for HDV antibodies including total HDV antibodies, IgG, and IgM and discusses related important issues, so as to understand the current status of the detection of HDV antibodies and provide a reference for developing better diagnostic tools for hepatitis D.

Current research status of hepatitis D virus RNA detection / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatitis D caused by hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection is the most serious type of viral hepatitis. The prevalence rate of HDV has been seriously underestimated due to the lack of accurate HDV RNA detection methods. HDV RNA is the gold standard for the diagnosis of HDV infection and is of great significance in the diagnosis, screening, and treatment guidance of HDV. However, the multiple genotypes and strong secondary structure of HDV have led to great difficulties in HDV RNA detection. This article reviews the advances in HDV RNA detection methods and elaborates on the development from qualitative to quantitative detection methods, in order to provide new ideas for understanding the significance of HDV RNA detection and promoting the research and development of new HDV RNA detection methods.

Epidemiological screening and detection indicators for hepatitis D and suitable populations / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection requires the participation of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which accelerates disease progression after infection and induces a high risk of progression to end-stage liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. With the gradual increase in the understanding of hepatitis D in the whole society, some therapeutic drugs for hepatitis D have become a research hotspot in recent years, and with the further improvement in clinical testing methods, researchers have started to pay attention to the epidemiological investigation of hepatitis D. Although many studies have been conducted for the specific situation of HDV infection in China, large data deviation is observed due to small cohorts with strong regional features. This article briefly reviews the population, methods, and indicators in the current epidemiological investigation of hepatitis D and discusses related key issues, in order to obtain more accurate epidemiological data, effectively screen out HDV infection, and provide help for early clinical intervention and treatment.

Research advances in antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis D / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a satellite virus of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and needs the help of HBV envelope protein to complete its own assembly and replication and then establish a new infection cycle. Chronic HDV infection is considered the most severe form of viral hepatitis, which can accelerate disease progression and increase the risk of liver cancer. Effective antiviral therapy is urgently needed to delay disease progression in patients with HDV infection, but Bulevirtide conditionally approved by European Medicines Agency in July 2020 and interferon previously recommended are the only drugs used for the treatment of HDV infection. At present, studies are being conducted for several antiviral drugs targeting viral replication cycle, and early clinical trials have obtained good results. This means that important breakthroughs have been made in the development of antiviral drugs, bringing hope for the treatment of hepatitis D. This article summarizes the current antiviral drugs for hepatitis D and discusses related treatment regimens, so as to provide a reference for the treatment of hepatitis D.

An investigation of hepatitis D virus infection among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in some regions of China / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in some regions of China. Methods Serum samples were collected from 3 131 patients with chronic HBV infection in 10 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions of China from March 2021 to June 2022, and anti-HDV IgG ELISA was used for the detection of all serum samples. Nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR) was used to detect HDV RNA in anti-HDV IgG-positive samples, and the nRT-PCR amplification products of HDV RNA-positive samples were sequenced and analyzed to determine HDV genotype. The clinical features of anti-HDV IgG-positive patients were analyzed. The Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results The positive rate of anti-HDV IgG in the 3 131 patients with chronic HBV infection was 0.70% (22/3 131), and that in the patients with chronic HBV infection in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Beijing, and Hunan Province was 1.81% (16/886), 0.88% (2/226), 0.28% (2/708), and 1.00% (2/200), respectively; the patients with chronic HBV infection in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had a significantly higher positive rate of anti-HDV IgG than those in Beijing ( P =0.004), and there was no significant difference between the other regions ( P > 0.05). Clinical features of the patients with chronic HBV infection in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region showed that compared with the anti-HDV IgG-negative group, the anti-HDV IgG-positive group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with Mongol nationality ( P =0.001), abnormal alanine aminotransferase ( P =0.007), or antiviral treatment ( P =0.029), as well as a significantly lower median HBV DNA level ( P =0.030). A total of 19 HDV RNA-positive samples were identified, all of which had HDV genotype 1. Conclusion The prevalence rate of HDV varies greatly across different regions of China, with a higher prevalence rate of HDV in patients with chronic HBV infection from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. HDV genotype 1 is the predominant genotype in some provinces and cities of northern China.

Key points of EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on hepatitis delta virus （2023） / 临床肝胆病杂志

‍Due to significant innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis D virus （HDV）， the European Society of Hepatology （EASL） published its first international clinical practice guidelines on the management of individuals with HDV infection in July 2023. The guidelines mainly focus on the six aspects of HDV screening， diagnosis， clinical features and influencing factors， patient monitoring and selection for treatment， therapeutic methods and treatment endpoints. The guidelines give recommendations by answering and elaborating on 13 questions covering these six aspects. In addition， the guidelines also provide the prospect of the future treatment of HDV. The author’s team makes an excerpt of the guidelines and systematically introduces various evaluation points in recommendations and clinical management suggestions， in order to promote the development of clinical management and decision-making for individuals with HDV infection in China.

Epidemiological situation of hepatitis D in the gathering area of Mongolian population in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the status and molecular epidemiology of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in the gathering area of Mongolian population in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. Methods A total of 230 patients with positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) who attended Inner Mongolia International Mongolian Hospital from April 2019 to October 2020 were enrolled, and according to related information, they were divided into hepatitis B+liver cirrhosis group( n =18) and hepatitis B group( n =212). According to HBsAg quantification with a cut-off value of 250 IU/mL, the patients were divided into HBsAg < 250 IU/mL group( n =104) and HBsAg ≥250 IU/mL group( n =126). ELISA was used to detect HDV antibody, and quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure HDV RNA in patients with positive HDV antibody. Genotyping was performed for HDV RNA-positive samples. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results The positive rate of HDV antibody was 16.09%, and among the patients with positive HDV antibody, the positive rate of HDV RNA was 91.89%. Among the 18 patients with hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis, the positive rate of HDV antibody was 44.44%, and among the patients with positive HDV antibody, the positive rate of HDV RNA was 100%. There were 104 patients with HBsAg < 250 IU/mL, among whom only 3 patients (2.88%) were positive for hepatitis D antibody, and there were 126 patients with HBsAg ≥250 IU/mL, with a positive rate of HDV antibody of 26.98%. Genotype 1 was observed in all the samples that could be genotyped. Conclusion There is a relatively high infection rate of HDV in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, especially in patients with HBsAg ≥250 IU/mL or those with liver cirrhosis. It is necessary to strengthen the detection of hepatitis D in HBsAg-positive patients and perform early diagnosis and treatment to prevent the further progression of hepatitis.

Genetic diversity of HBV in indigenous populations on the border between Brazil and Bolivia

Abstract Hepatitis B is considered an important public health problem worldwide because it is a chronic infection with a risk factor for cirrhosis and cellular hepatocellular carcinoma. In Brazil, the Rondônia State ranks first in the Northern region regarding the number of deaths due to hepatitis B. In the Amazon basin, genotype F is considered specific to the Americas identified in native populations. But few data on HBV genotyping and phylogenetic analysis are available. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotypes and subgenotypes of the hepatitis B virus in indigenous people chronic carriers residing in cities of Guajará Mirim and Nova Mamoré in state of Rondônia/Brazil, on the border with Bolivia. A fragment of 417 bp (S gene) was amplified by PCR and submitted to nucleotide sequencing. The genotypes and subgenotypes of the HBV strains were determined through phylogenetic inference using genomic sequences from 197 representatives of the genotypes (A-H). Of the 41 chronic hepatitis B patients enrolled in this study, 27 were HBV-DNA positive. Of the 27 DNA-HBV positives, 39% (17/41) had individual HBV infection and 27% (10/41) were coinfected with HDV. The frequency of genotypes was 40.7% (11/27) for genotype D (HBV-D), 33.3% (9/27) for genotype F (HBV-F) and 25.9% (7/27) for genotype A (HBV-A) with circulating subgenotypes F2, F4, D2, D3, A1, and A2. We characterized the genotypes and subgenotypes of HBV circulating among in indigenous in the State of Rondônia shows for the first time the HBV/D genotype whit greater frequency circulating in nativos of state Rondônia. In conclusion, our findings showed a diversity of HBV genotypes, which is also found in other Brazilian geographical regions.