title: Frequency of hepatitis D virus infection in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive liver diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of HDV among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive liver disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical Unit I, Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, from July 2003 to June 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients with HBs liver related disorders were evaluated for the presence of delta antibodies using commercially available ELISA kits. Descriptive statistics were used for describing data. Proportions of anti D antibodies between gender and age were compared using chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 774 cases, 438 were males (60.4%) and 336 were females (39.6%). The mean age was 36.5 ± 14.39 for males and 34.03 ± 13.16 years for females ranging from 15 to 60 years. Anti-HDV was positive in 183 patients (23.6%).The frequency of HDV was not significantly different between the gender groups (p=0.718). HDV infection was markedly higher in chronic than acute liver disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HBV/HDV co-infection is frequent in the studied area. Therefore, practitioners and health care managers should be made aware of the risk of dual infection with HBV and HDV.
authors.affiliation: Medical Unit-V, Civil Hospital/Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. majidwazir@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Majid Ahmed
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.forename: Wazir Muhammad
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.forename: Ghulam Akber
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Solangi
authors.forename: Bashir Ahmed
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.forename: M Aslam
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Soomro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens