Background: The prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection among persons with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection shows geographic variation and has declined in recent times in several regions. In India, studies during the 1990s showed highly variable anti-HDV prevalence rates among HBV-infected persons; however, data using molecular testing and recent data are not available. We therefore studied the prevalence of HDV infection in HBV-infected patients using tests for anti-HDV and HDV ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Methods: Two cohorts of patients with HBV infection were enrolled (cohort A, n = 150, January to December 2012; cohort B, n = 168, October 2013 to April 2014). Sera from cohort A were tested for IgG anti-HDV using three enzyme immunoassays and those from cohort B for IgG anti-HDV using an enzyme immunoassay and for HDV RNA using a real-time amplification assay.
Results: Of the 318 subjects (259 male; mean age 36.9 years), 161 (50.6 %) had chronic hepatitis B, 101 (31.8 %) had cirrhosis, 52 (16.3 %) had acute viral hepatitis, and 4 (1.3 %) had acute liver failure. In cohort A, all specimens tested negative for anti-HDV antibodies using all the three assays. In cohort B, all specimens tested negative for anti-HDV IgG as well as HDV RNA.
Conclusion: Our data indicate that HDV infection is uncommon in northern India.