To compare the severity of acute hepatitis due to hepatitis delta virus (MDV) superinfection and other etiologies superimposed upon previously unrecognized asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, a total of 98 patients with acute hepatitis who were HBsAg positive but IgM anti-HBc negative were studied. Among them, 23 (23.5%) were diagnosed as having acute HDV superinfection, and 44 (44.9%) were diagnosed as other etiologies whose sera in acute and convalescence phase were negative of anti-delta. The etiology of the remaining 31 (31.6%) patients were undetermined due to lack of convalescence serum specimens. Patients with HDV superinfection showed higher prevalence of serum hepatitis B e antibody (69.6% vs 41%, P<0.05), higher bilirubin levels (23.8 vs 15.4 mg/dl, P<0.02), and higher incidence of hepatic encephalopathy (39.1% vs 13.6%, PcO.05), fulminant hepatitis (17.4% vs 0%, P<0.01) and mortality (30.4% vs 4.5%, P<0.025). We conclude that acute MDV superinfection plays a significant role in acute hepatitis superimposed upon previously unrecognized asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and usually induces more severe clinical presentations.
To compare the severity of acute hepatitis due to hepatitis delta virus (MDV) superinfection and other etiologies superimposed upon previously unrecognized asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, a total of 98 patients with acute hepatitis who were HBsAg positive but IgM anti-HBc negative were studied. Among them, 23 (23.5%) were diagnosed as having acute HDV superinfection, and 44 (44.9%) were diagnosed as other etiologies whose sera in acute and convalescence phase were negative of anti-delta. The etiology of the remaining 31 (31.6%) patients were undetermined due to lack of convalescence serum specimens. Patients with HDV superinfection showed higher prevalence of serum hepatitis B e antibody (69.6% vs 41%, P<0.05), higher bilirubin levels (23.8 vs 15.4 mg/dl, P<0.02), and higher incidence of hepatic encephalopathy (39.1% vs 13.6%, PcO.05), fulminant hepatitis (17.4% vs 0%, P<0.01) and mortality (30.4% vs 4.5%, P<0.025). We conclude that acute MDV superinfection plays a significant role in acute hepatitis superimposed upon previously unrecognized asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and usually induces more severe clinical presentations.