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What is Hepatitis D
Hepatitis D, also known as delta hepatitis, is a viral disease that affects the liver. It only happens to people who already have hepatitis B.
When a person becomes infected with hepatitis B and D at the same time, it is called co-infection. If a person already has chronic hepatitis B and then becomes infected with the delta virus, this is called superinfection. In any case, this double whammy can lead to serious problems.
This virus can cause significant liver damage and even death, so preventing a double infection is critical. Hepatitis D can cause an acute or chronic infection, or both. Acute infection does not last long, while chronic infection lasts longer than 6 months.
Routes of transmission of hepatitis D in adults
The delta virus needs a strain of the hepatitis B virus to survive. Therefore, the chances of contracting hepatitis D increase if a person:
- already has hepatitis B;
- uses injects drugs;
- has sex with someone who has hepatitis B or D;
- concerns open ulcers of the patient;
- shares personal items such as razors or toothbrushes that may have been contaminated with the blood of an infected person.
Hepatitis D can only be contracted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of a person who has it.
Very rarely, mothers can infect their children with delta hepatitis during childbirth.
Symptoms of Hepatitis D in Adults
The main signs of hepatitis D include:
- yellow skin and eyes (jaundice);
- stomach upset;
- abdominal pain;
- vomiting;
- lack of appetite;
- dark urine;
- light colored chair
- joint pain;
- fatigue.
If a person already has hepatitis B, delta can make existing symptoms worse.
Treatment of hepatitis D in adults
Hepatitis D can lead to lifelong liver damage and even death. It is sometimes called delta hepatitis virus or delta hepatitis. This is the most severe form of hepatitis. Over time, it can lead to liver cancer or liver failure.
Diagnostics
Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and lifestyle, and then conduct an examination. They will test the blood for different types of hepatitis. If it is, your doctor will perform additional blood tests and imaging tests to check your liver for signs of damage.
Modern treatments
There is no cure for hepatitis D yet. The most commonly prescribed maintenance therapy is pegylated interferon alfa (peg-IFNa). But it’s not for everyone, as it can cause many side effects such as lack of energy, weight loss, flu-like symptoms, and mental health issues such as depression.
Taking peg-IFNa is usually recommended for a year. If the blood test still shows the presence of the virus in the body, then the doctor may advise staying on peg-IFNa for another year.
Peg-IFNa is often able to clear the delta virus in most co-infected people. If it is a superinfection, the likelihood of the virus disappearing is reduced. You may have to learn how to manage hepatitis B and delta throughout your life.
Other treatments are being tested. These include drugs that attack the virus or prevent it from attaching to hepatitis B cells, necessary for the survival of the delta virus.
In advanced cases, a doctor may recommend a liver transplant.
Prevention of hepatitis D in adults at home
No vaccine can prevent hepatitis D. The best way to avoid getting sick is to reduce your risk of contracting hepatitis B. Talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated against it.
Avoid contact with the blood or other body fluids of a person with hepatitis. Store personal items such as your toothbrush and razor separately. Wear gloves if you need to touch someone else’s open wound or sore.
Popular questions and answers
We asked about hepatitis D Gastroenterologist Marata Zinnatullina.
In Russia, the highest prevalence of the virus was recorded in Tuva and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The peculiarity of the course: in 75% of cases, the disease ends in recovery, rarely (1 – 5%) turns into a chronic process, in other cases – death.