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Published on: November 7, 2018
Epidemiological characteristics of HBV and HDV chronic liver diseases
Insights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant cause of chronic liver disease, often resulting in milder forms. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) coinfection, primarily in high-risk groups like drug users, leads to severe liver disease.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Public Health
Background:
- Chronic liver disease (CLD) poses a significant global health burden.
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis D virus (HDV) are key etiological agents in CLD.
- Understanding the prevalence and impact of HBV and HDV is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and etiological role of HBV and HDV in chronic liver disease patients.
- To identify risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with HBV and HDV infections.
- To compare the severity of liver disease caused by HBV alone versus HBV/HDV coinfection.
Main Methods:
- Prospective examination of patients with chronic liver disease at Slavonski Brod Hospital.
- Serological testing for HBV and HDV infection.
- Analysis of patient demographics, risk factors (including intravenous drug use), and clinical/histological disease severity.
Main Results:
- HBV was detected in 69.4% of chronic liver disease patients, with a significant proportion (37.0%) belonging to high-risk groups, predominantly intravenous drug users.
- HBV infection generally led to milder forms of CLD (chronic persistent hepatitis).
- HDV coinfection was found in 19.0% of HBV-positive patients, with 89.5% of these developing severe liver disease (chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis).
Conclusions:
- HBV is a major contributor to chronic liver disease in the studied population.
- Intravenous drug use is a significant risk factor for HBV infection.
- HDV coinfection dramatically increases the risk of severe liver disease progression.
Abstract:
The authors describe the results of prospective examination of the incidence and importance of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis D virus in the aetiology of chronic liver disease at Slavonski Brod Hospital. HBV incidence is significant in the aetiology of chronic liver disease, since it has been found in 100/144 (69.4%) of the examinees. Most of the patients were male (75.0%), their mean age was 32.8, and their age ranged between 15 and 60. A high percentage (37.0%) was found in the category of HBV infection high-risk patients. Most of them were intravenous drug addicts, their mean age was 24.9, and they were mostly male (96.9%). In most patients HBV infection caused a milder histological and clinical form of chronic liver disease, i.e., chronic persistent hepatitis. The disease was recorded in 62.9% of the patients outside of the high-risk category, and it was found in 52.6% of the high-risk patients. The incidence of the hepatitis D virus in the aetiology of chronic liver disease was found in 19/100 (19.0%) of the HBV positive patients. 18/19 of the HDV infection patients belonged to the high-risk category, 16 of them being drug addicts. Hepatitis D virus infection led to serious clinical and histological forms of chronic liver disease in most cases: chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver in 89.5% of the cases, and chronic persistent hepatitis in only 19.5% of the cases.
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