hepatitis D infection

Pathology

• requires hepatitis B virus for replication
  • coinfects with hepatitis B virus
  • superinfects hepatitis B carrier
• parenteral & permucosal transmission
• incubation period 4-6 months
• may accelerate development of cirrhosis
• occasionally causes fulminant acute hepatitis

Laboratory

• hepatitis B antigen positive
• hepatitis B core IgG positive, IgM negative
• hepatitis B e antigen negative
• hepatitis A IgM negative
• hepatitis C Ab &/or hepatitis C viral load negative
• serum ALT may be > serum AST, both very high (>1000 U/L)
• serum alkaline phosphatase may be 2-fold upper limit of normal
• serum bilirubin (total) may be 9-fold upper limit of normal
• hepatitis D antibody (anti-HDV)
  • becomes positive 15 weeks after signs/symptoms
  • not protective
• see viral hepatitis

Management

• no treatment
• hepatitis B vaccine is preventative

More general terms

• viral hepatitis

Additional terms

• hepatitis D virus (delta agent, HDV)