title: Clinical significance of antibody to the hepatitis delta virus in symptomless HBsAg carriers.
abstract: Antibody to the hepatitis delta virus (anti-delta) was detected in 112 out of 2487 (5%) individuals fortuitously found to have the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the blood. Liver function was impaired in 38% (43 of 112) of the anti-delta-positive carriers but in only 9% (215 of 2375) of the anti-delta-negative subjects (p less than 0.001). Liver biopsy specimens were obtained from 31 antibody-positive and 97 antibody-negative subjects with impaired liver function. Important histological changes were observed in 61% of the 31 antibody-positive carriers (7 chronic active hepatitis, 4 active cirrhosis, 8 inactive cirrhosis) but in only 19% of the 97 antibody-negative carriers (p less than 0.001). The presence of anti-delta in serum identifies a subpopulation of apparently healthy HBsAg carriers whose risk of underlying liver disease is four times higher than that in the ordinary carrier. The identification of anti-delta in a symptom-free HBsAg carrier with abnormal liver function is thus an indication for a diagnostic liver biopsy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arico
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzetto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caredda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marinucci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arnone
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Caporaso
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen