title: Chronic hepatitis delta virus infection in Van region of eastern Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis delta virus infection is an important cause of liver morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Eastern Turkey, hepatitis B virus infection is the major cause of chronic liver diseases. We aimed to research the role of hepatitis delta virus infection in chronic liver diseases related to hepatitis B virus infection in the Van region of Eastern Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serological markers of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus infection [HBsAg, HbeAg, Anti-HBe and Anti- hepatitis delta virus total (IgM+IgG)] were determined by ELISA test in patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Serum hepatitis B virus DNA was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepatitis delta virus infection was detected in 5% (7/138) of asymptomatic hepatitis B virus carriers, in 16% (24/148) of chronic hepatitis B patients and in 45% (34/75) of cirrhotic hepatitis B virus patients. hepatitis delta virus infection showed a three-fold increase in chronic hepatitis (p<0.01) and nine-fold increase in cirrhosis (p<0.001) compared to hepatitis delta virus carriers. Also, it was three times more frequent in cirrhosis (p<0.001) compared to chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis delta virus infection was equally distributed between sexes in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, whereas chronic hepatitis B virus infection alone was three times more frequent in males (p<0.001). Mean ages of hepatitis delta virus carriers, chronic hepatitis D and hepatitis delta virus cirrhosis patients were 30.7+/-8 (14-65), 36+/-13 (19-70) and 44 +/-16 (25-55), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher prevalence of hepatitis delta virus infection in more severe form of hepatitis B virus infection suggests that hepatitis delta virus infection increases the severity of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the Van region. hepatitis delta virus infection remains a second major cause of chronic liver diseases in Eastern Turkey in spite of its decreasing prevalence in Western countries and in Western Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Yüzüncü Yil University, 65200 Van, Ankara, Turkey. mkturkdogan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M Kürşad
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Türkdoğan
authors.forename: Hamza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uygan
authors.forename: Ilyas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Irmak
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buzgan
authors.forename: Hayrettin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akdeniz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D019701:Hepatitis D, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies