Epidemiology of hepatitis delta virus infection in HBs Ag positive patients

ABSTRACT

Over a period of three years in Medical Unit I Civil Hospital Karachi, 230 patients screened positive for HBsAg, out of these 52 patients showed up anit-Delta antibodies giving a prevalence of 22.6 percent. 45/52 i.e. 86.53 percent were male and 7/52 [13.47 percent] were female thus indicating a male predominance. All age groups are affected by HDV infection, but prevalence was highest in patients in the sixth decade followed by the third decade. Meticulous history taking showed the probable routes of transmission. 16/52 [30.7 percent] revealed a history of parenteral injections, 10/52 [19.32 percent] had undergone a blood transfusion, 6/52 [11.53 percent] were drug addicts; 6/52 [11.53 percent] revealed sexual promiscuity, and 2/52 [3.82] patients underwent hamodialysis. In addition, majority of patients with evidence of HDV infection came from rural Sindh or far flung areas of Baluchistan. In conclusion, prevalence of HDV infection was found to be higher than that reported earlier from western countries and equal to or even higher than other Afro-Asian countries. The association of infection with probable routes of transmission is very strong in our patients. Patients from rural areas are more prone to develop this sinister infection