Hepatitis D

Hepatitis D Latest News

Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the reclassification of hepatitis D as cancerous, emphasising the urgency for preventing viral hepatitis, which is a growing public health crisis.

About Hepatitis D

• It is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV).
• It is an incompetent virus that requires hepatitis B virus (HBV) for replication.
• This means it cannot cause infection alone and triggers co-infections only with the hepatitis B virus.
• Hepatitis D only affects people who already have hepatitis B either simultaneously or sequentially.
• Hepatitis B & D co-infection runs a more severe course for risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis B can cause liver cancer even without causing cirrhosis as it gets integrated in the DNA of cells.
• Hepatitis D virus augments the carcinogenic effect of Hepatitis B.
• All types of hepatitis are associated with acute liver infection; however, only hepatitis B, C, and D can lead to chronic infections with a higher risk of liver cirrhosis, failure or cancer. 
• Hepatitis D is associated with a two- to six-fold higher risk of liver cancer compared with hepatitis B.
• Transmission: The mode of transmission is similar to hepatitis B and C, that is through parenteral route or injections and transfusion, mother to child transmission and sexual contact.
• Prevention: Universal hepatitis B vaccination indirectly prevents hepatitis D. 
  • Hepatitis B vaccine may be given in any of the following schedules: Birth, 1 and 6 months; birth, 6 and 14 weeks; 6, 10 and 14 weeks; birth, 6, 10 and 14 weeks. In catch up vaccination, use 0, 1 and 6 months schedule.
  • An adult, especially if in a high risk comorbidity group, should take the hepatitis B vaccine in three shots. The second dose is given a month after the first, and the third dose is given six months after the second.

Source: IE

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