What is the real prevalence of the D virus infection in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis in Romania?

Rom J Gastroenterol. 2003 Sep;12(3):179-82.

Abstract

Virus D hepatitis continues to represent a public health problem in the south-eastern European countries, but the spread of the D virus infection in Romania is not completely elucidated. The paper proposes to assess the prevalence of the hepatitis D virus infection in patients with HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis in Romania. A number of 219 patients with chronic hepatitis and 168 with liver cirrhosis, all testing positive for HBsAg were studied. Viral markers were determined by immunoenzymatic methods. In HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis the prevalence of the D virus was 37.9 % and in liver cirrhosis 51.19%. The great majority of the cases infected with hepatitis B virus were HBeAg-negative. These findings situate Romania among countries with a high prevalence of the hepatitis D virus infection, but which is decreasing as compared to the data communicated by previous reports.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / complications
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis D, Chronic / complications
  • Hepatitis D, Chronic / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / virology*
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Romania / epidemiology