[Frequency of delta infections in Heidelberg]

The frequency of delta infection was studied in sera of 203 patients with acute hepatitis B, further 461 hepatitis B virus surface antigen-(HBsAg)-positive patients and 117 HBsAg-negative controls by determination of anti-delta by a competitive enzyme immunoassay. Sera have been collected since 1974. None of the sera of acute hepatitis B was anti-delta-positive whereas seven of the HBsAg-positive carriers were anti-delta-positive. Two of the anti-delta-positive patients had chronic hepatitis, four had liver cirrhosis. One of the anti-delta-positive patients with liver cirrhosis died of liver failure. Risk factors included Italian origin and parenteral routes of infection. All sera of 19 relatives of three anti-delta-positive index cases remained anti-delta-negative.