Hepatitis D virus infection in Isfahan, central Iran: Prevalence and risk factors among chronic HBV infection cases.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is dependent on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Acute infection with HDV can occur simultaneously with acute HBV infection or be superimposed onto a chronic HBV infection.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to identify cases of HDV and determine its prevalence in patients with chronic HBV infection for the first time study in Isfahan, central Iran.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study in 2009, 346 who had been diagnosed for at least 6 months with chronic HBV were enrolled consecutively. Anti-HDV was measured by ELISA in the serum of these patients.


RESULTS
The study included 245 males (70.8%) and 101 (29.2%) females with a mean age of 39 ± 12.4 years. Anti-HDV was present in 8 (3.5%) HBe antibody-positive patients (p = 0.36) and in 2 (2.3%) HBe antigen-positive cases (p = 0.68). No association was found between hepatitis D and probable risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that the prevalence of HDV infection is higher in patients who are positive for HBeAb compared those who are HBeAg-positive. Therefore, most HDV antibody-positive cases in Isfahan are HBV/HDV superinfections but not coinfections.
Isfahan Infectious Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
Behrooz
B
Ataei
Mohammad Reza
MR
Yazdani
Hamid
H
Kalantari
Majid
M
Yaran
Zary
Z
Nokhodian
Abbas Ali
AA
Javadi
Anahita
A
Babak
Peyman
P
Adibi