Heterosexual Transmission of Hepatitis Delta Virus in the General Population of an Area Endemic for Hepatitis B Virus Infection: A Prospective Study

A prospective study was conducted in 268 consecutive patients with overt hepatitis to examine the transmission of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in the general population of an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The patients were interviewed extensively for potential risk factors...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1990-11, Vol.162 (5), p.1170-1172
Main Authors: Liaw, Yun-Fan, Chiu, King-Wah, Chu, Chia-Ming, Sheen, I-Shyan, Huang, Miau-Ju
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Concise Communications
Disease transmission
Drug carriers
Female
Hepatitis
Hepatitis antigens
Hepatitis B - complications
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - analysis
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis C - complications
Hepatitis D - etiology
Hepatitis D - transmission
hepatitis D virus
Hepatitis delta virus
Humans
Infections
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Men
Middle Aged
Predisposing factors
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sex Work
Sex workers
Sexual Behavior
Viral diseases
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Summary:A prospective study was conducted in 268 consecutive patients with overt hepatitis to examine the transmission of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in the general population of an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The patients were interviewed extensively for potential risk factors associated with transmission. Of the 203 patients with type B hepatitis, 34 (30 men, 4 women) showed serologic evidence of acute HDV infection (HDV+ group), while the other 169 did not (HDV− group). Of the 30 HDV+ men, 27 (90%) had had sexual intercourse with prostitutes within 3 months of admission, while only 31 (22.7%) of the 136 HDV− men, 8 (17.4%) of the 46 men with non-A, non-B hepatitis and 5 (8.3%) ofthe 60 control men had done so (P < .001). Of the 4 HDV+ women, 1 was a prostitute and another was the wife of a patient with active HDV infection. There was no significant difference in exposure to other risk factors among these groups of patients. The results suggest that heterosexual exposure, particularly prostitute contact, is the most important route ofHDV transmission in the general population of this area endemic for HBY infection.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/162.5.1170