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Hepatitis D virus or delta hepatitis has mainly in Asian and Mediterranean cohorts, but data on virological and clinical characteristics of hepatitis D virus-infected Central and Northern European patients are limited.
Dr Heidrich and colleagues from Germany investigated virological patterns, as well as biochemical and clinical features of liver disease in 258 hepatitis D virus infected patients recruited over a period of 15 years at Hannover Medical School.
Virological parameters were compared to 2083 anti-hepatitis D virus negative hepatitis B surface antigen positive individuals.
The researchers found that hepatitis D virus infection was associated with both suppressed hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus replication.
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| Hep D virus infection was associated with suppressed hep B replication |
| Journal of Viral Hepatitis |
The team noted that the suppression of hepatitis B virus-DNA and hepatitis C virus-RNA was not related to hepatitis D virus-RNA replication.
In addition, the team observed that mean hepatitis D virus negative hepatitis B surface antigen levels did not significantly differ between hepatitis B virus-monoinfected patients and individuals with delta hepatitis.
Hepatitis C virus coinfection was rather frequent as about one third of our delta hepatitis patients tested anti-hepatitis C virus positive without being associated with more advanced liver disease.
The research team observed that delta hepatitis patients presented in a high frequency with an advanced stage of liver disease.
The course of delta hepatitis did not differ between Turkish-born, Eastern European -born and German-born patients.
Dr Heidrich's team concluded, “In this cohort of patients which is the largest so far Central European single centre group of delta hepatitis patients, we confirm the presence of frequently severe disease and describe novel virological profiles which require consideration in the management of this difficult to treat group of patients.”
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