Document Type
Article
Department
Gastroenterology
Abstract
Background & Aims:There is a paucity of data on the impact of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection from South Asia. We studied the impact of HDV co-infection on virological and clinical characteristics.
Methods: We collected data of 480 Patients with HBsAg positive and a detectable HBV DNA PCR, who presented to the Aga Khan University, Karachi and Isra University in Hyderabad, Pakistan in the last 5 years. HDV co-infection was diagnosed on the basis of anti-HDV. ALT, HBeAg, HBeAb and HBV DNA PCR quantitative levels were checked in all Patients. We divided all Patients into two groups based on anti-HDV, and compared their biochemical, serological & virological labs and clinical spectrum. Clinical spectrum of disease included asymptomatic carrier (AC), chronic active hepatitis (CAH), immuno-tolerant phase (IP), and compensated cirrhosis (CC).
Results: HDV co-infection was found in 169 (35.2%). There were 164 (34.6%) HBeAg positive and 316 (65.4%) HBeAg negative Patients. Mean ALT level was 66 +/- 73 IU. 233 (48.5%) had raised ALT. HBV DNA level was >= 10e5 in 103(21.5%) Patients. Overall, among HBV/HDV co-infection, 146/169 (86.4%) had suppressed HBV DNA PCR as compared to 231/311 (74.3%) Patients with HBV mono-infection, p-value = 0.002. Among HBeAg negative Patients 71/128(55.5%) had raised ALT levels among HBV/HDV co-infection as compared to 71/188 (37.8%) with HBV mono-infection (p-value = 0.002), levels of HBV DNA were equal in two groups, there were 27/128 (21%) Patients with CC among HBV/HDV co-infection as compared to 23 (12%) in HBV mono-infection (p-value = 0.009), there were less AC (p-value = 0.009) and more CAH (p-value = 0.009) among HBV/HDV co-infection Patients. Among HBeAg positive Patients, serum ALT, HBV DNA levels and the spectrum of HBV were similar in the two groups.Conclusions:
Conclusion: HBV/HDV co-infection results in the suppression of HBV DNA. A fair proportion of HBV/HDV co-infected Patients with HBeAg negative have active hepatitis B infection and cirrhosis as compared to those with mono-infection.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Virology journal.
Recommended Citation
Mumtaz, K.,
Ahmed, U.,
Memon, S.,
Khawaja, A.,
Usmani, M.,
Moatter, T.,
Hamid, S.,
Jafri, W.
(2011). Virological and clinical characteristics of hepatitis delta virus in South Asia. Virology journal., 8, 312.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_med_gastroenterol/33
Comments
Research.