title: Seroepidemiological study of hepatitis delta virus infection in Okinawa, Japan.
abstract: A seroepidemiological study on hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection was conducted in the Okinawan islands, the area of Japan where hepatitis B virus infection is most prevalent. The subjects of this study included 116 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers, 48 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH), 19 with liver cirrhosis (LC), and 11 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among the 194 serum samples examined, a total of 10 (5.2%) were anti-HDV seropositive. Anti-HDV was detected in 2 (1.7%) of the 116 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, in 3 (6.3%) of the 48 patients with CH, and in 5 (26.3%) of the 19 with LC. However, none of the patients with HCC had detectable anti-HDV. Eight of the 10 were born in the Miyako island group and the remaining 2 on the main island of Okinawa. Since the subjects included 34 individuals who were living and/or born in the Miyako islands, the positive rate of anti-HDV in the islands was 23.5%. This study demonstrates the existence of an endemic area of HDV infection in Japan.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakugawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakasone
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shokita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakayoshi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kinjo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamashiro
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyagi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies