title: Chronic delta hepatitis: a difficult problem for the hepatologist.
abstract: Delta antigen was detected by means of direct immunofluorescence in the liver of 20 out of 118 chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Delta antigen was frequently found in young chronic HBsAg carriers with chronic active hepatitis. Positivity for anti-HBe occurred in almost all cases. A peculiar aspect of delta infection was a predominance in patients from Southern, rather than from Northern or Central Italy. Another interesting finding is the higher mean values of GOT and GPT in delta-positive patients compared with those in delta-negative patients. The follow-up of some patients confirmed that chronic delta hepatitis is a particularly progressive disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase