Epidemiology of hepatitis D virus (delta) infection in Yugoslavia.
In 614 HBsAg-positive Yugoslavian patients, radioimmunoassay testing for anti-delta showed the presence of this antibody in serum in 11.2%. Of the patients, 213 belonged to a risk group (i.v. drug users, hemophiliacs, hemodialysed patients and patients with posttransfusion hepatitis); a significant number of these patients (63; 29.6%) were found to have anti-delta. A second group was composed of 401 HBsAg-positive patients from the general population (patients with acute hepatitis B, with fulminant hepatitis B and patients with chronic HBV infection); delta infection was found only in six (1.5%). Immunohistochemical methods failed to demonstrate the delta antigen in the livers of 73 patients with chronic HBV infection. Testing the liver of 36 patients with fulminant hepatitis B for delta antigen demonstrated this reactivity in only one (2.8%) liver sample. Delta antigen was also found in the liver of a female patient who underwent biopsy in 1972. The results of this study suggest the HDV is not endemic in Yugoslavia; however, it is frequently found in patients at risk of blood exposure, primarily i.v. drug users.
Delić
D
D
Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases UCC, Belgrade, Serbia-Montenegro.
Gotić
M
M
Ostrić
V
V
Fridman
V
V
Nikolić
P
P
Jemuović
L
L
Nikolov
V
V
Zerjav
S
S
Groza
S
S
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000453:epidemiology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens