title: [Update hepatitis D].
abstract: The relevance of chronic hepatitis delta results from its high morbidity. Prevalence of hepatitis D decreases in classic endemic areas of the Mediterranean Basin, but increases in Eastern European countries. Hepatitis D is mainly a disease of immigrants in Germany. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is an incomplete virus, which needs the hepatitis B surface protein (HBsAg) but not hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication for its propagation. In case of HBsAg detection a screening for HDV antibodies should be performed. Simultaneous HDV/HBV infection leading to spontaneous virus clearance in the majority of cases has to be differentiated from HDV superinfection with a high rate of chronification. Chronic hepatitis D is difficult to treat. Treatment regimens for hepatitis D are interferon-based so far. Pegylated interferons, a prolongation of treatment beyond 12 months, combination therapies with ribavirin and prenylation inhibitors are possibly new therapeutic options in chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Infektiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. erhardt@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Starke
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loerke
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giesecke
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heintges
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Häussinger
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005858:Germany; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens