Infection with the Delta (δ) Agent in Chronic HBsAg Carriers

Smedile, Antonina; Dentico, P; Zanetti, Alessandro; Sagnelli, E.; Nordenfelt, Erik; Actis, Giovanni C; Rizzetto, M.

doi:10.1016/s0016-5085(81)80003-0

Cited by 168 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This way of infection causes severe acute hepatitis, which progresses to chronicity in almost all patients (up to 80%) (32). Once chronic HDV infection is established, it usually exacerbates the pre-existing liver disease due to HBV (33). HBV replication is, however, usually suppressed to low levels during the acute phase of HDV infection.…”

Section: Patterns Of Hepatitis D Virus Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis D virus: an update

Pascarella

Negro

2010

Liver International

128

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection involves a distinct subgroup of individuals simultaneously infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and characterized by an often severe chronic liver disease. HDV is a defective RNA agent needing the presence of HBV for its life cycle. HDV is present worldwide, but the distribution pattern is not uniform. Different strains are classified into eight genotypes represented in specific regions and associated with peculiar disease outcome. Two major specific patterns of infection can occur, i.e. co-infection with HDV and HBV or HDV superinfection of a chronic HBV carrier. Co-infection often leads to eradication of both agents, whereas superinfection mostly evolves to HDV chronicity. HDV-associated chronic liver disease (chronic hepatitis D) is characterized by necro-inflammation and relentless deposition of fibrosis, which may, over decades, result in the development of cirrhosis. HDV has a single-stranded, circular RNA genome. The virion is composed of an envelope, provided by the helper HBV and surrounding the RNA genome and the HDV antigen (HDAg). Replication occurs in the hepatocyte nucleus using cellular polymerases and via a rolling circle process, during which the RNA genome is copied into a full-length, complementary RNA. HDV infection can be diagnosed by the presence of antibodies directed against HDAg (anti-HD) and HDV RNA in serum. Treatment involves the administration of pegylated interferon-a and is effective in only about 20% of patients. Liver transplantation is indicated in case of liver failure.

show abstract

Section: Patterns Of Hepatitis D Virus Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis D virus: an update

Pascarella

Negro

2010

Liver International

128

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, patients are susceptible to superinfection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) (7-lo), hepatitis delta virus (HDV) (11,12) and non-A, non-B virus(es) (13,14). The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence, clinicopathological features and etiology of acute exacerbations occurring in patients with chronic type B hepatitis, comparing patients who have HBeAg in serum to those with anti-HBe.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute exacerbation in chronic type B hepatitis: Comparison between HBeAg and antibody-positive patients

et al. 1987

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The incidence, clinicopathological features and etiology of acute exacerbation occurring in patients with chronic type B hepatitis were assessed prospectively among 385 patients who had HBeAg and 279 who had anti-HBe in serum. During an average follow-up of 23.5 months, acute exacerbations occurred in 197 HBeAg-positive patients and in 56 anti-HBe positive patients, with a calculated annual incidence of 28.6 and 10.3%, respectively (p less than 0.001). The clinical and laboratory findings of acute exacerbations were similar in the HBeAg-positive and anti-HBe positive patients. The mean serum bilirubin and alpha-fetoprotein levels were higher in anti-HBe positive patients (p less than 0.01), but actual differences were small. The histologic features of acute exacerbations were also similar in the HBeAg-positive patients and anti-HBe positive patients. Lobular alterations were the main histologic findings; in addition, one-fourth of patients had bridging necrosis and one-fourth had piecemeal necrosis. Spontaneous reactivation of hepatitis B was the major cause of these exacerbations in both HBeAg-positive patients (91.5%) as well as anti-HBe positive patients (62.5%). Hepatitis delta virus superinfection accounted for a higher percentage of exacerbations in anti-HBe positive patients (14.3%) than in HBeAg-positive cases (6.5%). Hepatitis A and possibly non-A, non-B virus superinfections also contributed to some episodes of exacerbation. Thus, acute exacerbations of disease occurred more frequently in HBeAg-positive patients than in anti-HBe positive patients with chronic type B hepatitis, but the clinicopathological features and etiologies were similar.

show abstract

“…Although the high prevalence of delta agent among the chronic camers of HBV has been known in recent years,'.lo. 13 whether the new agent has any role in the oncogenic capacity of the HBV has not been explored. The strong association of chronic HBV disease and HCC has been well established.…”

Section: Discussiorimentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of delta antigen/antibody in B-viral-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Govindarajan

Hevia

Peters

1984

Cancer

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sera from 39 patients with B‐viral associated hepatocellular carcinoma were studied for the presence of delta antibody using solid‐phase blocking radioimmunoassay. Only one patient (2.5%) had circulating delta antibody in the serum, and stainable delta antigen in the nuclei of the nontumor liver. A similar study of the sera of 57 patients with chronic B‐viral disease without hepatocellular carcinoma revealed 18 patients (31.5%) with delta antibody. This significant difference (P > 0.001) in the prevalence of delta antibody among these two groups is probably related to the epidemiologic background, reflected as a racial difference.

show abstract

Infection with the Delta (δ) Agent in Chronic HBsAg Carriers

Cited by 168 publications

References 9 publications

Hepatitis D virus: an update

Hepatitis D virus: an update

Acute exacerbation in chronic type B hepatitis: Comparison between HBeAg and antibody-positive patients

Prevalence of delta antigen/antibody in B-viral-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About