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Hepatitis Delta Virus Infection: An Overview
1Faculty of Medicine (FMUC), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 27, 2025
Summary
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection affects millions globally, increasing risks for severe liver disease. While new treatments like bulevirtide are emerging, effective cures for chronic HDV remain a critical unmet need.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection poses a significant, yet largely unknown, global health burden, potentially impacting 12 to 72 million individuals worldwide.
- HDV infection, occurring exclusively in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals, significantly elevates the risk of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma compared to hepatitis B virus (HBV) mono-infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the current understanding of HDV infection burden and its clinical implications.
- To discuss the availability of screening methods and the need for systematic HDV testing.
- To review emerging therapeutic strategies and the critical need for novel treatments to cure HDV.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing epidemiological data on HDV prevalence.
- Analysis of clinical outcomes associated with chronic HDV infection.
- Evaluation of current and developing therapeutic options for HDV.
Main Results:
- The global burden of HDV infection is substantial but not precisely quantified, with significant prevalence in specific regions.
- Chronic HDV infection is demonstrably more aggressive than HBV mono-infection, leading to poorer liver disease outcomes.
- Bulevirtide represents a new treatment option, with other drugs like lonafarnib under investigation, indicating progress in therapeutic development.
Conclusions:
- Systematic screening for HDV is essential due to its severe clinical impact and the inadequacy of current diagnostic approaches.
- While new treatments are emerging, there is an urgent requirement for next-generation therapies to achieve a definitive cure for HDV infection.
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