[HB virus infection and delta surinfection in Sahelian Africa]

78 hospitalized patients were selected when presenting with at least one of these signs: hepatomegaly, jaundice, ascites, oesophageal varices, abdominal venous pattern, splenomegaly. All had radioimmunoassays for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antidelta antibody (78/78). Acute or chronic hepatic disease was diagnosed in 56 patients: 7 acute viral hepatitis, 13 chronic hepatitis, 23 non alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis, and 13 hepatocellular carcinoma. Twenty-two patients with other diagnoses served as controls. Serum antidelta was present in each group: acute viral hepatitis (2/7), chronic hepatitis (2/13), non alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis (9/23), hepatocellular carcinoma (3/13), controls (2/22). Every patient with acute or chronic hepatic disease and positive serum anti-delta was positive for serum HBsAg. Amony controls, 2 patients with positive serum antidelta were negative for serum HBsAg but positive for antiHBs. Delta superinfection is present in the sahelian region; Patients with acute viral hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, non alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma are electively infected. Patients with acute or chronic hepatitis and positive serum antidelta have hepatitis B virus evolutive infection (positive serum HBsAg).