Frequency of hepatitis D virus [HDV] infection in Nishtar hospital, Multan

ABSTRACT

A prospective study was carried out to assess the frequency and pattern of hepatitis-D virus [HDV] infection among patients of acute viral hepatitis [AVH]. The study included all the admitted patients of AVH from October 1991 to July 1992. The sera of HBsAg positive patients of AVH were frozen at -20°C and were tested for antibodies against HDV in a single batch. During this period 111 patients of AVH were included in this study. Among these cases of AVH, 44 [39.6%] were positive for HBsAg and 12 of these 44 HBsAg positive patients [27.3%] were reactive for anti-D. The frequency of fulminant hepatitis and mortality was significantly higher in anti-D positive patients as compared to anti-D negative patients. The fatal outcome was seen in 5/12 [41.6%] patients with the anti-D positivity, while in anti-D negative group it was seen 8/32 [25%] cases. In conclusion HDV infection was found in a high ratio in AVH cases in Nishtar Hospital, Multan. Among these HDV positive patients, the development of hepatic encephalopathy and fatal outcome was greater as compared to HBsAg positive and anti-D negative group. There is need for effective strategies for the prophylaxis of HDV infection in high risk population in our country