Pattern of hepatitis delta virus infection in the Shaikh Zayed hospital, Lahore

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis delta virus [HDV] is a hepatotropic virus. It infects only in the presence of hepatitis B virus [HBV]. HBV infection in Pakistan is high; the infection with the delta virus, therefore, goes hand in hand with HBV infection. HDV coinfects in the presence of HBV or superinfects a carrier of HBsAg. Superinfection by HDV is generally more severe than HBV infection alone. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of HDV in our patient population. Sera of 150 HBsAg positive patients were tested for anti-HDV. Twenty-five [16.67%] were found positive. Sera of these 25 patients were further tested for HBc-IgM antibodies. Six were found positive, indicating 24% of coinfection and 67% superinfection by delta virus. In as much as almost 17% of HBV infection had associated delta virus infection with reported high complications of fulminant hepatitis and chronicity, it is recommended that vaccination against HBV must be adopted as a universal policy