Study Calls for Increased Routine Hepatitis D Screening

Although hepatitis D virus (HDV) is considered one of the most severe forms of chronic viral hepatitis, data on the virus and its treatment are severely lacking, according to an analysis published in Gut.

The authors derived data from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and China Knowledge Resource Integrated databases between 1977 and 2016. Out of 2717 initially identified studies, 182 articles from 61 countries and regions met the final criteria.

“The overall prevalence of HDV was 0.98%,” the authors wrote. “In HBsAg (Hepatitis B surface antigen)-positive population, HDV pooled prevalence was 14.57%; seroprevalence was 10.58% in mixed population without risk factors of intravenous drug use (IVDU) and high-risk sexual behavior (HRSB). It was 37.57% in the IVDU population and 17.01% in HRSB population.”

The incidence of HBsAg carriers (without IVDU and HRSB) being coinfected with HDV has increased substantially over the past few years, along with the prevalence of HDV in the IVDU and HRSB population. The meta-analysis revealed that information on the importance of routine HDV screening is needed. The investigators also call for a rigorous implementation of an HBV vaccine program.

“HDV is a defective virus that completes its life cycle only with HBV. The HBV with HDV super-infection has been considered as one of the most severe forms of the chronic viral hepatitis,” the authors concluded. “However, there is a scarcity of data on the global burden of HDV infection.”

—Priyam Vora

Reference:

Chen H, Shen D, Ji D et al. Prevalence and burden of hepatitis D virus infection in the global population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gut. 2019;68:512-521 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2018-316601