title: Clinical and epidemiological significance of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection in chronic HBV carriers in Portugal.
abstract: This study demonstrated that in Portugal HDV infection occurs in 17.3% of HBsAg chronic carriers and chronic HDV infection in 8.4%. As in Northern European countries, HDV infection in Portugal is predominantly found in drug-addicts. Our findings also confirm that HDV infection is associated with an active and progressive liver disease. In delta Ag positive CLD serum HBV-DNA was detected in 10 of 19 cases and was present at low levels. In contrast 52 of 84 delta Ag negative were serum HBV-DNA positive and 48.1% of these had high serum HBV-DNA levels. Ninety per cent of delta Ag positive CLD with serum HBV-DNA positive were drug addicts. These findings indicate that in chronic HDV infection synthesis of HBV is reduced and suggest namely that in drug-addicts their disease derived from the cumulative pathogenic effect of both HBV and HDV. In follow-up biopsy a significantly younger mean age and significantly deterioration of carriers with HDV infection was observed, suggesting that HDV infection accelerates the natural history of HBV related liver disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002353:Carrier State; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen