Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
11:14
Detection of Low Copy Number Integrated Viral DNA Formed by In Vitro Hepatitis B Infection
Published on: November 7, 2018
18.6K
HBV/HDV Co-Infection: Epidemiological and Clinical Changes, Recent Knowledge and Future Challenges
Caterina Sagnelli1, Evangelista Sagnelli1, Antonio Russo1
1Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80131 Naples, Italy.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 6, 2021
Summary
New Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) treatments show promise beyond interferon. Direct-acting agents, including bulevirtide and lonafarnib, offer improved efficacy for HDV chronic hepatitis (HDV-CH) but require further safety evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) infection poses a significant global health challenge.
- HDV genotypes 5-8 imported to Western countries require further clinical investigation.
- Ongoing HDV replication is an independent predictor of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HDV chronic hepatitis (HDV-CH).
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize recent data on HDV infection, focusing on treatment advancements.
- To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of novel therapeutic agents for HDV-CH.
- To provide an updated overview for improving knowledge on HDV management.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of recent scientific investigations on HDV infection.
- Analysis of clinical relevance of newly imported HDV genotypes.
- Evaluation of preliminary data on direct-acting antiviral agents and interferon-based therapies.
Main Results:
- Interferon-based therapies for HDV-CH demonstrate low sustained virological response (SVR) rates (20-30%) and poor tolerability.
- Addition of HBV nucleo(s)tide analogues to pegylated interferon alfa (peg-IFN-α) did not enhance SVR rates.
- Novel direct-acting agents (bulevirtide, lonafarnib, nucleic acid polymers) show higher efficacy than interferon but present common adverse reactions, potentially mitigated by combination therapy.
Conclusions:
- Current interferon-based treatments for HDV-CH are unsatisfactory.
- Emerging direct-acting agents represent a more effective therapeutic strategy for HDV infection.
- Further research is needed to optimize the use and safety of new antiviral combinations for HDV-CH.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:57Viral Recombination
24.4K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
24.4K
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
48.3K
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...
48.3K
00:36Viral Mutations
37.3K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
37.3K