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HEPATITIS

Hepatitis D virus: more attention needed

Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 19, page 556 (2022)Cite this article

A small proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, estimated at 12–39 million people worldwide, are coinfected with hepatitis D virus (HDV). HDV is the least common viral hepatitis, but it causes the most severe form of the disease. Chronic HDV infection progresses rapidly, with up to 80% of patients developing cirrhosis within 5–10 years, and it is associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality than HBV monoinfection. In 1977, Mario Rizzetto and colleagues identified HDV by chance in liver biopsy samples of patients with chronic HBV infection. It was considered a novel agent and was referred to as “delta agent”. Further research characterized this agent as a new virus, hepatitis D, a defective virus that requires the presence of HBV, specifically the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), to infect humans.

Unlike HBV, there is no specific vaccine for HDV. However, preventing HBV infection also prevents HDV infection. Implementation of HBV vaccination programmes in the 1990s has undoubtedly had an effect on the prevalence of HDV, particularly in young populations.

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References

Original article

  • Rizzetto, M. et al. Immunofluorescence detection of new antigen-antibody system (delta/anti-delta) associated to hepatitis B virus in liver and in serum of HBsAg carriers. Gut 18, 997–1003 (1977)

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Related article

  • Urban, S., Neumann-Haefelin, C. & Lampertico, P. Hepatitis D virus in 2021: virology, immunology and new treatment approaches for a difficult-to-treat disease. Gut 70, 1782–1794 (2021)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Liver Unit, Hospital Universitario Valle Hebron, CIBEREHD del Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain

    Maria Buti

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  1. Maria Buti
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Correspondence to Maria Buti.

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Buti, M. Hepatitis D virus: more attention needed. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 19, 556 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-022-00664-0

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