Causes And Risk Factors Of Hepatitis D
The primary route of transmission for hepatitis D is contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids. This can happen through sharing needles or drug materials with an infected person or having unprotected sex with an infected person.
Although it is rare, hepatitis D can be passed from mother to child during birth.
People cant get hepatitis D through everyday close contact that doesnt involve blood or bodily fluids.
Receptor Interaction And The Consequence Of Hbv Integration
Liver tropism and hepatic receptors of HBV and HDV
The liver tropism of HBV and HDV is primarily determined by a specific interaction of an extended receptor binding domain in the preS-1-part of the HBV L-protein and the hepatic NTCP receptor. NTCP interaction of HBV and HDV requires prior attachment to heparan sulphate proteoglycans . This mandatory step presumably triggers the release of the otherwise hidden preS-receptor binding site. HSPG-requirement explains how neutralising anti-HBsAg-specific antibodies, although they do not directly interfere with preS/NTCP-interaction, block entry and control infection.
NTCP exclusively locates at the basolateral/sinusoidal membrane of differentiated, polarised hepatocytes. NTCP-expression ceases when differentiated hepatocytes proliferate. NTCP is also downregulated in transformed cell lines of hepatic origin such as HepG2, HuH7 and Hep3B. Thus, proliferating normal hepatocytes, transformed hepatoma cells, and probably also tumour cells in HCC lack NTCP and do not support entry of HBV and HDV. Though, proliferating cells support spread of HDV RNA activated state) but loose HBV cccDNA . A deeper understanding of these peculiar differences of HDV and its helper HBV will be crucial for understanding persistence and is important for the development of successful therapeutic interventions.
Studying HDV replication in vitro
Consequences of HBV integration and clonal expansion of integrants
Viral Structure And Life Cycle
Hepatitis D virus viral life cycle and sites of drug target. 1. Hepatitis D virus virion attaches to the hepatocyte via interaction between hepatitis B surface antigen proteins and the sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide , a multiple transmembrane transporter. 2. HDV ribonucleoprotein is translocated to nucleus mediated by the hepatitis D antigen . 3. HDV genome replication occurs via a rolling-circle mechanism. 4. HDV antigenome is transported out of the nucleus to the endoplasmic reticulum . 5. HDV antigenome is translated in the ER into small HDAg and large HDAg . 6. L-HDAg undergoes prenylation prior to assembly. 7. S-HDAg is transported back to the nucleus where it supports HDV replication. 8. New HDAg molecules are associated with new transcripts of genomic RNA to form new RNPs that are exported to the cytoplasm. 9. New HDV RNP associates with hepatitis B virus envelop proteins and assembled into HDV virions. 10. Completed HDV virions are released from the hepatocyte via the trans-Golgi network.
Finally, once the RNP interacts with the envelop protein of HBV and the HDV is assembled, the HDV virion is now ready for release. The HDV virion is released via the trans-Golgi network, where it can go on to infect other hepatocytes. However, the exact mechanism of HDV-virion release remains unknown .
Also Check: Can You Recover From Hepatitis B
What Is Hepatitis D Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention
Hepatitis D, also known as delta hepatitis affects only those who have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus if you contract both, the one-two punch can cause serious liver problems.
The hepatitis D virus depends on another virus, namely the one that causes hepatitis B, to reproduce itself. This means hepatitis D can only infect people who are already infected with the hepatitis B virus, or who are exposed to hepatitis B at the same time theyre exposed to hepatitis D.
When you are infected with hepatitis B and D at the same time, its called coinfection.
If you already have chronic hepatitis B and are then exposed to the hepatitis D virus, its called a superinfection. In either case, this double whammy can lead to serious problems.
Hepatitis D can cause significant liver damage and even death, so prevention of this dual infection is crucial.
Hepatitis D can cause an acute or chronic infection, or both. The acute infection lasts a short time, and the chronic infection lasts longer than six months.
What Is Hepatitis
Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver. It is commonly the result of a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis.
These include autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that occurs when your body makes antibodies against your liver tissue.
The five main viral classifications of hepatitis are hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. A different virus is responsible for each type of viral hepatitis.
The World Health Organization estimates that people currently live with chronic hepatitis B and C globally.
Also Check: What Is Severe Hepatic Steatosis
How Is It Treated
Hepatitis A is treated using supportive methods. These can include things like rest, fluids, and healthy foods. Medications can also help to ease some symptoms like fever, aches, and pains.
Theres a vaccine available to protect against infection with HAV. This is typically recommended for children as well as for people at an increased risk for contracting the virus.
Also, receiving a single dose of the hepatitis A vaccine may prevent you from becoming ill if youve been exposed to HAV. For it to be effective, the vaccine needs to be given of exposure.
Finding Help For Hepatitis
If youve been diagnosed with viral hepatitis, there are a variety of resources that are available to help you. Lets explore a few of them below:
- Your doctor. Your doctor is a great first point of contact for questions and concerns. They can help you to better understand the type of hepatitis you have, as well as how it will be treated.
- American Liver Foundation . ALF is dedicated to ending liver disease through education, research, and advocacy. Their site has educational material about viral hepatitis, as well as ways to find doctors, support groups, and clinical trials in your area.
- Patient assistance programs. If you have hepatitis C, the cost of antiviral drugs can be high. The good news is that many drug manufacturers have patient assistance programs that can help you pay for these medications.
The chart below is an at-a-glance summary of some of the key differences between hepatitis A, B, and C.
| Hepatitis A |
|---|
Recommended Reading: Genotype Test For Hepatitis C
What Are The 5 Types Of Viral Hepatitis
Viral infections of the liver that are classified as hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. A different virus handles each type of virally transmitted hepatitis.
Hepatitis A is always an acute, short-term disease, while hepatitis B, C, and D are most likely to become ongoing and chronic. Hepatitis E is usually acute but can be dangerous in pregnant women.
Hepatitis D: Causes Symptoms And Treatment
Hepatitis D, also called the delta agent, affects about 15 million people worldwide. It originates in those who suffer from hepatitis B, whether they are carriers or it has been manifested. It is usually the result of having unprotected sex with infected people, using drugs, or receiving blood transfusions with the virus. It is a severe disease, so the earlier the medical diagnosis, the more effective its treatment will be. At FastlyHealwe, explain what hepatitis D consists of, its causes, symptoms, and treatment.
Also Check: Can Hepatitis B And C Be Cured
Don’t Miss: How Can You Transmit Hepatitis C
New Therapeutic Approaches Targeting Hbsag
Apart from the above-mentioned therapies, any new therapeutic that leads to functional cure in HBV monoinfected patients could be helpful in HBV/HDV coinfected ones. RNA interference and antisense oligonucleotides showed substantial declines of HBsAg in few weeks of administration in the absence of peg-IFN, suggesting a potential role also in the treatment of coinfected patients.
Recommended Reading: How Can You Get Hepatitis A
Prognosis Of Hepatitis D
Your health outlook depends on whether you were coinfected or superinfected with hepatitis D the prognosis is better for people who were coinfected.
The vast majority of coinfected people experience only the acute phase of the disease most of these people will get better over two to three weeks. Liver enzyme levels typically return to normal within four months.
About 10 percent of people infected with hepatitis D develop a chronic liver infection.
Chronic hepatitis D leads to cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, in about 70 to 80 percent of cases. Once a person has cirrhosis, the disease may remain stable for as long as 10 years, although a high percentage of people with chronic hepatitis D and cirrhosis eventually die of acute liver failure or liver cancer unless they get a liver transplant.
The overall mortality rate of hepatitis D is unclear, with estimates placing it between 2 and 20 percent. As with most forms of hepatitis, prevention is the best strategy.
You May Like: Can I Donate Blood If I Have Hepatitis B Antibodies
Who Should Be Vaccinated
Children
- All children aged 1223 months
- All children and adolescents 218 years of age who have not previously received hepatitis A vaccine
People at increased risk for hepatitis A
- International travelers
- Men who have sex with men
- People who use or inject drugs
- People with occupational risk for exposure
- People who anticipate close personal contact with an international adoptee
- People experiencing homelessness
People at increased risk for severe disease from hepatitis A infection
- People with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C
- People with HIV
Other people recommended for vaccination
- Pregnant women at risk for hepatitis A or risk for severe outcome from hepatitis A infection
Any person who requests vaccination
There is no vaccine available for hepatitis C.
Signs And Symptoms Of Hepatitis D
People who have acute hepatitis D usually have symptoms, which can include the following:
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Jaundice, which causes a yellowish tint to the whites of the eyes and skin
- Discolored stools and urine
- Pain over the liver, in the upper part of the abdomen
In contrast, the majority of people with chronic hepatitis D will have few symptoms until complications develop. This could be several years after the initial infection. These symptoms can include the following:
- Weakness and fatigue
- Swelling of the ankles and abdomen
Don’t Miss: Why Does Hepatitis D Need Hepatitis B
Prevention Of Hepatitis D
Although there is no vaccine for hepatitis D, an effective vaccine does exist for hepatitis B. Since hepatitis D cannot survive without hepatitis B, a vaccination against hepatitis B will protect you from both strains.
Its important to note that the hepatitis B vaccine is only effective at preventing coinfection, not superinfection.
If you already have hepatitis B, other prevention strategies will help you avoid hepatitis D.
You can prevent hepatitis D and other bloodborne illnesses like hepatitis C and HIV by avoiding these high-risk behaviors:
- Sharing intravenous drug paraphernalia
- Having unprotected sex
- Sharing personal-care items with a person who has hepatitis D, especially those items that may have trace amounts of blood on them, such as razors or toothbrushes.
If you have hepatitis D you shouldnt donate blood or blood products, sperm, organs, or tissue.
What Are The Complications Of Chronic Hepatitis D
Chronic hepatitis D may lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. People who have chronic hepatitis B and D are more likely to develop these complications than people who have chronic hepatitis B alone.20 Early diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B and D can lower your chances of developing serious health problems.
You May Like: How Does One Get Hepatitis C
What Are The Symptoms Of Hepatitis D
Initial symptoms may include:
- not having energy for everyday tasks
- feeling sick, like you may vomit
These initial symptoms may lead to jaundice and the ongoing symptoms of tiredness and sickness.
Infection generally causes severe liver inflammation and may lead to chronic hepatitis D infection. Individuals with chronic hepatitis D can develop:
- cirrhosis of the liver
- fulminant hepatitis
Some people do not develop any symptoms for the next 5 to 10 years, until their liver has been damaged. This is why it is important to take precautions against hepatitis D.
How Do You Get It
HAV can be present in the stool and blood of someone with the virus. Its mainly transmitted through the fecal-oral route, which involves ingesting virus thats present in the stool of someone with hepatitis A.
There are several ways you can get hepatitis A:
- having close person-to-person contact with someone who has hepatitis A, such as:
- taking care of someone whos currently sick
- having sex with someone who has the virus
You May Like: What Is Hepatitis C Antibody
What Is The Outlook
Most people with hepatitis A recover without any complications. Once youve had hepatitis A, you cant get it again. Antibodies to the virus will protect you for life.
Some people may be at an increased risk for serious illness from hepatitis A. These include:
acute hepatitis B infections in the United States in 2018.
Common Symptoms Of Hepatitis
If you are living with a chronic form of hepatitis, like hepatitis B and C, you may not show symptoms until the damage affects liver function. By contrast, people with acute hepatitis may present with symptoms shortly after contracting a hepatitis virus.
Common symptoms of infectious hepatitis include:
It is crucial to understand what is causing hepatitis in order to treat it correctly. Doctors will progress through a series of tests to accurately diagnose your condition.
Don’t Miss: How Does Someone Get Hepatitis B
What Causes Hepatitis In General
- Virus and other infections
- An acute illness caused by the hepatitis A virus .
- Transmitted through food and water contaminated by feces of infected people.
Read Also: Signs Of Hepatitis C Getting Worse
Hepatitis D Questions And Answers For The Public
What is hepatitis D?Hepatitis D is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis D virus. Only people infected with the hepatitis B virus can get hepatitis D. They can become infected with both viruses at the same time or get hepatitis D after first being infected with hepatitis B virus . Hepatitis D can cause severe symptoms and serious illness that can lead to life-long liver damage and even death.
What is hepatitis B/hepatitis D coinfection?People who get infected with both hepatitis B and hepatitis D at the same time are considered to be coinfected. Coinfection with hepatitis B and hepatitis D can cause serious, short-term health problems and even liver failure, but it usually does not lead to life-long illness.
What is hepatitis D superinfection?Superinfection happens when people get hepatitis D after having been first infected with the hepatitis B virus. This type of infection is more likely to result in long-term illness, including rapid development of liver fibrosis, liver failure, and even death.
How common is hepatitis D in the United States?Hepatitis D is considered to be uncommon in the United States. However, the number of people with hepatitis D is unknown, because this infection is not tracked by public health departments or by CDC.
How is hepatitis D spread?You can only get hepatitis D after coming into contact with the blood or body fluids of someone who is infected with the hepatitis D virus. This can happen through
Read Also: Hepatitis B And Hpv Vaccine Together
How Does It Affect The Body
The incubation period for hepatitis B can range from . However, not everyone who has acute hepatitis B will experience symptoms.
About 95 percent of adults completely recover from hepatitis B. However, hepatitis B can also become chronic.
The risk of chronic hepatitis B is greatest in those who were exposed to HBV as young children. Many people with chronic hepatitis B dont have symptoms until significant liver damage has occurred.
In some people whove had hepatitis B, the virus can reactivate later on. When this happens, symptoms and liver damage may occur. People with a weakened immune system and those being treated for hepatitis C are at a higher risk for HBV reactivation.