A study on hepatitis D virus infection in liver tissues of patients with hepatitis B in China

Abstract

2346 liver samples from 17 areas in China were investigated for intrahepatic hepatitis D antigen (HDAg) by direct enzyme-labelled technique. HDAg was detected in 167 out of 1764 samples of HBsAg positive individuals with the detection rate of 9.47%. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection existed in all the examined areas without any significant difference regarding HDAg detection rate. A relationship of intrahepatic HDAg to the pathologic type of the liver disease was observed. The HDAg detection rate in chronic liver diseases and severe hepatitis was higher than in other liver diseases. It suggested that HDV infection was associated with the progression and chronicity of the liver disease. Studies on the relationship between HDV infection and HBV replication showed that HBV replication might be suppressed by HDV infection. Both HDV and HBV, however, could replicate in the same hepatocyte simultaneously.

Keywords

hepatitis D virus / hepatitis D antigen / hepatitis B virus infection / immunoenzymatic technique

References

[1] 1984; 4(2): l27–9.

[2] 1989;10(1): 21–3.

[3] 1988; 27(5): 275–7.

[4] 1985; 24: 28–9.

[5] ZhangYY, et al.. HBV and HDV infection in Wuhan region of People’s Republic of China. J Hepatol, 1987, 5: 223-223

[6] SagnelliE, et al.. HDV infection in chronic hepatitis: a study of 203 cases. J Hepatol, 1987, 5: 193-193

[7] FattovichG, et al.. Influence of hepatitis delta virus infection on progression to cirrhosis of anti-HBe positive chronic active hepatitis. J Hepatol, 1987, 5: 24-24

[8] HuKQ, et al.. Immunohistochemical studies on hepatitis B markers in the liver tissue of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. J Tongji Med Univ, 1987, 7: 117-22

[9] GenescaJ, et al.. Hepatitis B virus replication in acute hepatitis B, acute hepatitis B virus-hepatitis delta virus coinfection and acute hepatitis delta superinfection. Hepatology, 1987, 7: 569-72