Hepatitis D

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) was first described in 1977 in patients infected with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). (Read about "Hepatitis B") All of the hepatitis viruses attack the liver, causing inflammation. When HDV occurs in patients who already have chronic or long-term HBV infection, it is considered a superinfection; when patients develop acute or short-term cases of both HBV and HDV at the same time, HDV is considered a co-infection. Persons co-infected with acute HBV-HDV usually go into remission. In contrast, 90 percent of individuals with HDV superinfection develop persistent HDV infection, which eventually leads to chronic liver disease. (Read about "The Liver")

HDV may be spread by exposure to contaminated blood products or needles and by sex with an infected person.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms include:

• jaundice (Read about "Jaundice")
• fatigue
• abdominal pain
• loss of appetite
• nausea, vomiting
• joint pain
• dark (tea colored) urine

There are blood tests available to diagnose HDV (Read about "Laboratory Testing"), but they are less accurate and sensitive than the tests used to diagnose HAV and HBV. Controlling and preventing HBV would eliminate the spread of HDV, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

Related Information:

    Microorganisms

    Blood Donation Guidelines

    Hepatitis A

    Hepatitis B

    Hepatitis C

    Hepatitis E

    Liver Cancer

    Digestive System

    Encephalopathy