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HCET Home > On-line Training > Addressing Hepatitis in Women > 8. Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) Infection

What is HDV? (20)

HDV, or delta virus, is an incomplete virus that requires the presence of HBV in order to complete its life cycle. Therefore, HDV infection only occurs in the presence of HBV.

Click below Hepatitis D (Delta) Virus

• An individual can acquire HDV infection at the same time the individual acquires with the HBV. This is called co-infection.

• A person with HBV can be infected with HDV virus at any time after acute HBV virus infection. This is called super-infection.

• Chronic HBV carriers who acquire HDV super-infection usually develop chronic HDV infection.

• In long-term studies of chronic HBV carriers with HDV super-infection, 70%-80% have developed evidence of chronic liver diseases with cirrhosis compared with 15%-30% of patients with chronic HBV infection alone.

Statistics

Hepatitis D infects about 15 million people worldwide and occurs in about 5% of people with hepatitis B (22). HDV infection occurs in countries where HBV infection is endemic. Signs and Symptoms of HDV (21) - HDV may increase the severity of symptoms associated with HBV.

Click below Geographic Distribution of HDV Infection

Transmission of HDV

HDV is spread in a similar manner to HBV, including:

• When blood or body fluids from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not immune,

• Through having sex with an infected person without using a condom,

• By sharing needles when "shooting" drugs,

• Through needle-sticks or sharps exposures on the job, and

• From an infected mother to her baby during birth

Clinical Features of HDV (21)

• Co-infection
  • severe acute disease
  • low risk of chronic infection

• Superinfection
  • usually develop chronic HDV infection
  • risk of severe chronic liver disease

Prevention of HDV

• Because HDV is dependent on HBV for replication, HBV-HDV co-infection can be prevented with either pre- or postexposure prophylaxis for HBV. However, no products exist to prevent HDV superinfection of persons with chronic HBV infection. Thus, prevention of HDV superinfection depends primarily on education to reduce risk behaviors.

• In HBV infected women, exposure to blood should be avoided and protection should be used during sexual encounters.

Diagnosing HDV (21)

HDV is diagnosed by a blood test. The serologic course of HDV infection varies depending on whether the virus is acquired as a co-infection with HBV or as a super-infection of a person with chronic HBV infection.

Treating HDV

Persons infected with acute HDV should avoid alcohol, eat a well-balanced diet and rest in bed as needed.

For more information regarding diagnosing and treating HDV, go to:

• CDC's Hepatitus D (Delta) Virus slideset

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URL: http://65.163.14.21/training/hep/8hepD.htm
 Last update: 03/05/08