Prevalence of Hepatitis D Among Patients with Hepatitis B Viral Infection Attending a Tertiary Care Centre of Nepal

• Published in: Journal of Nepal Medical Association Vol. 56; no. 208; pp. 417 - 20
• Main Authors: Regmi, Kiran, Shrestha, Jeetendra Kaji, Sudhamshu, K C, Jaishi, Bikash, Karki, Niyanta, Khadka, Dipendra, Khadka, Sandip
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nepal Nepal Medical Association 01.10.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Coinfection - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; HbsAg; HDV DNA; HDV IgG; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis D; Hepatitis Antibodies - immunology; Hepatitis B Antibodies - immunology; Hepatitis B Core Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology; Hepatitis D - epidemiology; Hepatitis D - immunology; Hepatitis Delta Virus - immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunoglobulin M - immunology; Male; Nepal - epidemiology; Prevalence; Tertiary Care Centers; Young Adult; Nepal; HbsAg; HDV DNA; HDV IgG; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis D
• ISSN: 0028-2715; 1815-672X
• DOI: 10.31729/jnma.3378

Worldwide there is variation in prevalence of Hepatitis D viral infection. Superinfection and co infection with hepatitis B viral infection is known to occur in 15-20 million people. This was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital based study carried out in NAMS, Bir hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from period of January 2017 to June 2017. Consecutive patients of chronic hepatitis B viral infection of HBsAg positive with more than two-time upper normal limit of ALT were enrolled and tested for HDV IgG. Forty patients were enrolled during study period. Mean age was 30.9±12.2 years. Males were 28 (70%) and females 12 (30%). Most of the patients were asymptomatic for HBV infection 32 (80%). HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis was most commonly present in 31 (77.5%). Family history of Hepatitis B viral infection was seen in 7 (17.5%) and sexual promiscuity in 5 (12.5%) as the mode of acquisition of hepatitis B viral infection. HBcIgM was positive in three patients with mean HBV DNA of 4.97x10(5)±4.5x10(5) IU/ml in HBeAg positive group. HDV IgG was negative in all patients. Coinfection and superinfection of hepatitis D virus were found to be uncommon at Bir hospital, Nepal.