title: Prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis delta virus among chronic hepatitis B carriers in Central Vietnam.
abstract: Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection plays an important role in liver diseases. However, the molecular epidemiology and impact of HDV infection in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remain uncertain in Vietnam. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of HDV among HBsAg-positive patients in Central Vietnam. 250 CHB patients were tested for HDV using newly established HDV-specific RT-PCR techniques. HDV genotypes were determined by direct sequencing. Of the 250 patients 25 (10%) had detectable copies of HDV viral RNA. HDV-2 was predominant (20/25; 80%) followed by HDV-1 (5/25; 20%). Proven HDV genotypes share the Asian nomenclature. Chronic hepatitis B patients with concomitant HDV-1 showed higher HBV loads as compared to HDV-2 infected patients [median log10 (HBV-DNA copies/ml): 8.5 vs. 4.4, P = 0.036]. Our findings indicate that HDV infection is highly prevalent and HDV-2 is predominant in Central Vietnam. The data will add new information to the management of HBsAg-positive patients in a highly HBV endemic region to in- or exclude HDV infection in terms of diagnostic and treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Biology, Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Hung Minh
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, 108 Military Central Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Bui Tien
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Sy
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Biology, Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Nguyen Thanh
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Trung
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Nghiem Xuan
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Hoan
authors.affiliation: German Center for Infection Research, Department for Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wedemeyer
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Biology, Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam.|Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.|Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Thirumalaisamy P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Velavan
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C-Thomas
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2773-486X
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Bock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult