title: [FAMILIAL CLUSTERS OF HEPATITIS DELTA IN ENDEMIC REGION (REPUBLIC TYVA)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical and virological characteristic of hepatitis delta familial clusters in region of Russia that is endemic for this infection (Republic Tuva).
  
  
  METHODS
  Total 383 patients with HBV/HDV coinfection and their family members (3 generations) were followed. Serum samples for HDV and HBV markers testing were available for 42 patients from 18 families. HBsAg, anti-HBc, HBeAg, anti-HBe and anti-HDV were tested using commercial ELISA tests; HDV RNA and HBV DNA were tested using in house nested PCR tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  30 family (63 people) clusters were identified, in which close living persons have been infected with HDV and HBV. The biological material for determining of HDV and HBV markers has been available from 18 families (42 people belonging to 1-3 generations (parents and children, husband and wife, brother and sister). The mean age was 35 ± 14 years (10-58 years). Chronic hepatitis (CH) was in 30 (71.4%) patients, liver cirrhosis (LC)--in 10 (23.8%) and HCC was developed in 2 (4.8%) person on the background of long infections. The incidence of HBeAg was 14.3% (6/42), HBV DNA--19% (8/42); HDV RNA--35.7% (15/42). In 2 cases (mother) replication markers of both viruses were found, it contributed to the increased risk of infection in children. So HDV RNA was detected in the blood serum of their daughters (15 and 17), that does not exclude the possibility of vertical transmission. An illustration describes four families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidemic process of delta infection in the Republic of Tyva is characterized by intrafamilial infection of HBV and HDV.
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Kozhanova
authors.forename: L Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Ilchenko
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopatuchina
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saryglar
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Saryg-Chaa
authors.forename: Y D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Sonam-Baiyr
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Mongusch
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kyuregyan
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Mikhailov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012800:Siberia / Q000453:epidemiology