Hepatitis D
HDV needs HBV to survive, it's like a parasite - Patrick Labonté
image by: Hepatitis Delta Connect
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Hepatitis D: The 'Forgotten Virus' is Still Here
Hepatitis D may be the loneliest hepatitis virus around, but it's still here and needs attention...
"Even though it's been forgotten, it has unfortunately not been lost," said Joseph Ahn, MD, MS, director of clinical hepatology at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
The hepatitis D virus (HDV) was first recognized for its pathogenicity in the 1970s, and in the 1980s it was estimated that about 5% of all hepatitis B patients worldwide were co-infected with hepatitis D -- about 15 million people, Ahn said. (HDV is considered an "incomplete" virus because it cannot replicate on its own, instead requiring co-infection with hepatitis B virus.)
However, over the…
Resources
New estimates highlight need to step up the response to hepatitis D
HDV (formerly known as the Delta agent) is a small virus – one of the smallest that is known to cause disease in humans – and can replicate only in the presence of HBV, from which HDV borrows some of its structures. Compared with people with HBV infection alone, those who have a chronic infection with both HBV and HDV have a much higher risk of developing disease in the form of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Spotlight on Hepatitis Delta: Renewed Scientific Interest Paves the Way for New Data and Treatments
While it was previously thought that 15-20 million coinfections existed globally, this new research has suggested there may be between 48-74 million.
Explainer: the A, B, C, D and E of hepatitis
Hepatitis D is a satellite virus that can only infect people who also have hepatitis B. It is estimated that approximately 5% of people living with hepatitis B globally also have hepatitis D, which can lead to more severe liver disease.
Hepatitis D: The mystery of the virus' life cycle revealed
"HDV needs HBV to survive, it's like a parasite," says researcher Patrick Labonté who specializes in liver viruses (hepatitis). However, cure rates are low because treatments for hepatitis B are ineffective against HDV."
A Neglected Family Of Killer Viruses
We think of HIV, TB and malaria as some of the deadliest infectious diseases on earth. And the death tolls bear that out. But there's a family of viruses that is in the same league: hepatitis viruses.
A review on hepatitis D: From virology to new therapies
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective virus that requires the hepatitis B virus (HBV) to complete its life cycle in human hepatocytes.
First drug for hepatitis D has been approved by european commission
What started off as basic research 25 years ago has now lead to a successfully approved drug: The entry blocker bulevirtide (brand name Hepcludex, formerly known as Myrcludex B), jointly developed by researchers from Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg, the DZIF and other partners, has now been approved by the European Commission.
Hepatitis D virus infection, replication and cross-talk with the hepatitis B virus
Coinfection and previous infection with the HBV is necessary for HDV to complete its life cycle and enter uninfected hepatocytes. Few studies have described how the two viruses cross-talk.
Hepatitis D Virus: A Call to Screening
Hepatitis D virus causes an aggressive viral hepatitis with a virulent course of progression to cirrhosis and hepatic decompensation. It relies on hepatitis B coinfection for its pathogenesis and propagation. Hepatitis D virus had become the forgotten virus, with reduced public awareness, medical interest, and research support.
Hepatitis D: The 'Forgotten Virus' is Still Here
Hepatitis D may be the loneliest hepatitis virus around, but it's still here and needs attention...
Hepatitis Delta Connect
A dedicated program of the Hepatitis B Foundation to increase awareness about hepatitis delta, a serious virus that coinfects hepatitis B patients, promote screening and testing, and provide information and support for those affected.
CDC
Hepatitis D, also known as “delta hepatitis,” is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV). Hepatitis D only occurs in people who are also infected with the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis D is spread when blood or other body fluids from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Hepatitis D can be an acute, short-term infection or become a long-term, chronic infection.
Recent advances in managing hepatitis D
HDV leads to liver disease in humans either as co-infection with HBV or as superinfection of a chronic HBsAg carrier with HDV.
StatPearls
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) was discovered in 1977 in patients with chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Originally thought to be an unrecognized HBV antigen, the HDV nuclear antigen was later discovered to be a part of a new pathogen, initially known as the delta agent.
WHO
Hepatitis D virus (HDV) affects globally nearly 5% of people who have a chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV).
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