Epidemiology of Delta Agent Infection in Arabia:
Geographical Distribution and Prevalence of Anti-Delta

El-Hazmi, M.A.; Ramia, S.

doi:10.1159/000461432

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Hence, the national hepatitis B vaccination is likely to favorably affect the morbidity and mortality. Varying prevalence rates were reported by various workers in Saudi Arabia regarding antidelta antibody from hepatitis B seropositive adults 6.7% [4] to 11.2% [5]. In our study, none of the 23 HbsAg positive samples were positive for delta antibody.…”

contrasting

confidence: 49%

The Use of Serum Data Bank in Estimating the Prevalence of Hepatitis B Carriers and Delta Hepatitis before the Implementation of Hepatitis B Vaccination

Khalil¹,

Abanamy²,

Azeem³

1992

Ann Saudi Med

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Collection of blood sample for medical research raises many ethical and practical problems. Sera left over following routine investigations of children attending the hospital may be a source for further research which might benefit individuals, in particular, and community at large. The sera can be used for estimation of seroprevalence of certain viral markers in the community. As newer techniques develop, further investigations can be performed from the stored sera.Serum data bank was used for the estimation of carrier rate of hepatitis B and delta hepatitis in Saudi children attending the Suleimania Children's Hospital, Riyadh. The sera remaining after the routine investigations were labelled and stored at -20 degrees, a computer database was created for data retrieval storing details such as laboratory and hospital numbers, age, nationality, date of admission and clinical diagnosis on admission. Information was retrieved from the hospital file when required. Only one blood sample for each Saudi child attending the hospital in 1989 was selected. A total of 634 blood samples were sent for HbsAg estimation using Ausyme Monoclonal (Abbott, Laboratories, USA) HbsAg positive samples were further tested for hepatitis delta virus antibody using ELISA (Wellcozyme AntiHD, Wellcome Diagnostic, UK).Sera were tested in 416 males and 218 females (total 634). Twenty-three children were seropositive for HbsAg (3.6%), 5.9% (13/218) in females and 2.4% (10/416) in males. The difference was statistically significant (P = < .001). The highest carrier rate was in the four to six year age group (10%) (P = .006) (Table 1), 18.8% females (6/32) and 4.3% males (2/47) were carriers (P = .036). None of the 23 samples tested were positive for delta virus antibodies.Since this study was performed prior to launching the national hepatitis B vaccination program in 1990, the data bank can be used to compare the effect of vaccination on seroprevalence. In 1986, Ramia et al reported a carrier rate of 5.2% in adult males and 3.7% in adult females in Saudi Arabia [1]. The total prevalence rate in Riyadh was reported to be 4.7% during the same period [2]. Al-Faleh reported a carrier rate of 6.7% in children under ten-yearsof-age (unpublished report presented to MOH 1991). His data was collected from a community-based study. Since our study population was hospital-based involving predominantly preschool children, on has to be careful when comparing the results with other studies. The apparently high seroprevalence level in females is probably related to the sample size. A high seroprevalence in the four to six year age group may suggest a predominant child-to-child transmission such as the situation in Alaskan natives [3] as against vertical transmission. Hence, the national hepatitis B vaccination is likely to favorably affect the morbidity and mortality. Varying prevalence rates were reported by various workers in Saudi Arabia regarding antidelta antibody from hepatitis B seropositive adults 6.7% [4] to 11.2% [5]. In our study, none of the 23 H...

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contrasting

confidence: 49%

The Use of Serum Data Bank in Estimating the Prevalence of Hepatitis B Carriers and Delta Hepatitis before the Implementation of Hepatitis B Vaccination

Khalil¹,

Abanamy²,

Azeem³

1992

Ann Saudi Med

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“…This matches one previously published study in Riyadh that gave 6.7% and another in Hofuf (Eastern Province City) of 5.3%. 8 However, some authors from the Riyadh area had been reporting either a lower incidence (5.4%) 9 or a higher incidence (11.2%). 10 The same discrepancy happened in the Gizan area as one study reported 8%, 11 and the other gave 0%.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10 The same discrepancy happened in the Gizan area as one study reported 8%, 11 and the other gave 0%. 8 Despite variations in the Saudi published data, [8][9][10][11] they showed that HDV is a problem in Saudi Arabia, and we could look to these variations in light of using a very limited material and the type of methodology and kits then available. Breaking down our overall rate (4.87%) according to] the country of origin of the subjects we reached, rates were 8.22%, 2.63%, and 6.22% among Middle Easterners, India subcontinentals and Saudis respectively, while not a single case has been recorded in the Southeast Asian subjects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroepidemiological Prevalence of Hepatitis Delta Virus in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Fathalla

Abdulazziz

Sabri

et al. 1994

Annals of Saudi Medicine

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Four hundred and eleven (411) confirmed hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive individuals were tested for hepatitis delta antibodies (anti HDV) by the enzyme immunoassay method (EIA) from June 1988 through December 1993. An overall prevalence rate of 4.87% was recorded while rates for liver diseased patients, subjects on hemodialysis programs, intravenous drug addicts and blood donors showed 7.69%, 6.85%, 5.77% and 2.75% respectively. Breaking down rates according to the country of origin of our subjects showed the highest prevalence among Middle Easterners (8.22%) and Saudis (6.22%), while it was 2.63% among the India subcontinent subjects. No HDV case has been recorded from the Southeastern Asia samples despite the known higher HBsAg anemia in this region. This study could suggest that although HDV infection is limited to HBV carriers, the HDV prevalence does not seem to be a simple function of HBV, as some other factors (environmental, genetic, cultural, and/or viral strains) could modify the HDV/HBV relationship. However, limitation of the currently available tests for HDV could be the cause of the underestimation of HDV prevalence here as well as elsewhere. Ann Saudi Med 1994;14(6):503-506. This single strand RNA virus is considered as a mini-defective virus that requires a complementary helper function of hepatitis B virus (HBV) for its synthesis; hence, it can only develop in persons infected with HBV and it is well established that the HDV pathology is mainly due to its direct cytopathic effect on the hepatocytes as opposed to the immunological damage of HBV.2,3

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“…ElHazmi and Ramia 19 also reported incidence of anti-delta antibody from various parts of Saudi Arabia as follows: Hofuf, 5.3% (4/75); Najran, 9.6% (5/52); Gizan, 0 (0/70), and Khaybar 0 (0/75). The previous small study from Gizan 17 reporting 8% (3/36) prevalence of anti-delta antibody contradicts the finding by El-Hazmi et al The present anti-delta antibody prevalence rate of 11.2% among healthy HBsAg-carrier Saudi blood donors is highest among reported rates of 8%, 5.4%, and 6.7% by Ashraf et al, 17 Ramia et al, 18 and El-Hazmi and Ramia 19 from Saudi Arabia and also 3.8%, 0.5%, and 5% from the United States, 20 and Canada, 21 and Italy. 15 This study reemphasizes the importance of prevention of HBV (and thus HDV) by administration of the hepatitis B virus vaccine in Saudi Arabia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The prevalence of anti-delta antibody in healthy HBsAg carriers in Saudi Arabia, reported as 8% (3/36) from Gizan 17 and 5.4% (7/129) by Ramia et al, 18 and 6.7% (5/75) by El-Hazmi and Ramia 19 from the Riyadh area. ElHazmi and Ramia 19 also reported incidence of anti-delta antibody from various parts of Saudi Arabia as follows: Hofuf, 5.3% (4/75); Najran, 9.6% (5/52); Gizan, 0 (0/70), and Khaybar 0 (0/75).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Anti-Delta-Virus Antibody in Sera Positive for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Male Saudi Blood Donors

1989

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Anti-delta-virus antibody was determined by radioimmunoassay technique in 490 healthy male Saudi blood donors with serum positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. The presence of anti-delta-virus antibody was demonstrated in 11.2% (55/490) of donor sera. This is considerably higher than the reported incidence of 3.8%, 0.5%, and 5% from the United States, Canada, and Italy, and 8%, 6.7%, and 5.4% from Saudi Arabia in healthy HBsAg-positive blood donor sera.

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Epidemiology of Delta Agent Infection in Arabia: Geographical Distribution and Prevalence of Anti-Delta

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

The Use of Serum Data Bank in Estimating the Prevalence of Hepatitis B Carriers and Delta Hepatitis before the Implementation of Hepatitis B Vaccination

The Use of Serum Data Bank in Estimating the Prevalence of Hepatitis B Carriers and Delta Hepatitis before the Implementation of Hepatitis B Vaccination

Seroepidemiological Prevalence of Hepatitis Delta Virus in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Anti-Delta-Virus Antibody in Sera Positive for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Male Saudi Blood Donors

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