title: [Evaluation of the risk of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection in a population of hemodialyzed patients: significance of the determination of anti-delta antibodies in the blood].
abstract: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective virus which requires the helper function of hepatitis B virus (HBV) for replication. HDV infection occurs only during or after HDV infection. Viral infection spreads parenterally in both cases. However, it has been reported that the risk of HDV infection is limited to hemodialysed patients, unlike the risk of HBV infection. In order to verify these findings the Authors studied 108 patients undergoing periodical hemodialytic treatment in order to study the delta antibodies present in their blood. Sixty-one of these subjects had received previous blood transfusions, 15 were HBsAg positive and 7 positive for other serological markers of the hepatitis B virus. None of the subjects examined was positive for anti HDV. Our results agreed with the literature reporting an incidence of positive HDV serological markers limited to hemodialyzed patients. The Authors observed that the behaviour of the HDV serological markers can vary from patient to patient and that it is impossible to furnish diagnosis of HDV infection after HBV and HDV clearance. Since these factors can lead to underestimation of the real incidence of HDV infection in hemodialyzed patients, the Authors underline the need to perform long term epidemiological studies and to investigate all the HDV serological markers.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calcara
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rapisarda
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapisarda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brischetto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fatuzzo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seminara
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vasta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motta
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000097:blood*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen
vernacular_title: Valutazione del rischio di infezione da virus dell'epatite delta (HDV) in una popolazione di emodializzati: significato della determinazione degli anticorpi sierici anti delta.