Purpose of review: Hepatitis D Virus (HDV), although a small defective virus, poses a substantial public health challenge due to lack of awareness, underrecognized prevalence, and limited treatment options. Universal HDV screening within hepatitis B virus (HBV) cohorts is essential to address this issue. Despite its aggressive nature, effective HDV therapies have remained elusive for over four decades.
Recent findings: Advances in understanding HDV's biology and clinical behavior offer potential therapeutic breakthroughs, fostering optimism. As insights grow, effective and targeted therapies are being developed to improve HDV management.
Summary: This review delves into HDV's intricate structure and biology, highlighting formidable hurdles in antiviral development. It emphasizes the importance of widespread screening, exploring noninvasive diagnostics, and examining current and emerging innovative therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the review explores models for monitoring treatment response. In essence, this review simplifies the complexities of effectively combating HDV.
Keywords: Antiviral therapy; Bulevirtide; Delta hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis D virus; Lonafarnib.