Objective: To determine the frequency of HDV among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive liver disorders.
Study design: An observational cross-sectional study.
Place and duration of study: Medical Unit I, Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, from July 2003 to June 2008.
Methodology: Adult patients with HBs liver related disorders were evaluated for the presence of delta antibodies using commercially available ELISA kits. Descriptive statistics were used for describing data. Proportions of anti D antibodies between gender and age were compared using chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 774 cases, 438 were males (60.4%) and 336 were females (39.6%). The mean age was 36.5 ± 14.39 for males and 34.03 ± 13.16 years for females ranging from 15 to 60 years. Anti-HDV was positive in 183 patients (23.6%).The frequency of HDV was not significantly different between the gender groups (p=0.718). HDV infection was markedly higher in chronic than acute liver disorders.
Conclusion: The HBV/HDV co-infection is frequent in the studied area. Therefore, practitioners and health care managers should be made aware of the risk of dual infection with HBV and HDV.