Clinical significance of antibody to the hepatitis delta virus in symptomless HBsAg carriers.
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.
Arico
S
S
Aragona
M
M
Rizzetto
M
M
Caredda
F
F
Zanetti
A
A
Marinucci
G
G
Diana
S
S
Farci
P
P
Arnone
M
M
Caporaso
N
N
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
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen