title: Study on seroprevalence of hepatitis delta in a regional hospital in western Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is an incomplete virus dependent on hepatitis B virus (HBV) for its multiplication. It can infect individuals with active HBV infection and cause severe liver disease. It is less prevalent than hepatitis B virus, but it causes more serious clinical pictures. In this study we investigated anti-HDV seroprevalance and epidemiological features among HBsAg seropositive outclinic patients at Izmir Tepecik Educational and Research Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples collected from outpatients at Izmir Tepecik Educational and Research Hospital between 1 September 2007 and 30 August 2009 were evaluated. Anti-HDV assay was performed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Patients over the age of fourteen who were referred to our hospital were taken into the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 3,094 HBsAg positive patients, 79 (2.5%) had anti-HDV IgG seroprevalance. Of these 79 patients, 42 were hepatitis B carriers, 34 had chronic hepatitis B, two had liver cirrhosis, and one had hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although superinfection and co-infection of HDV are less prevalent than hepatitis B infection, the prognosis is worse as the response to therapy is poor; therefore, patients with hepatitis B should be evaluated further for HDV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Tepecik Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. sukrankose@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sukran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Gulfem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ece
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gozaydin
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turken
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019701:Hepatitis D, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase