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- Title
Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Coinfection and Superinfection with δ Agent: Indistinguishable Disease with Different Outcome.
- Authors
Caredda, Francesco; Rossi, Elio; Monforte, Antonella d'Arminio; Zampini, Luisa; Re, Tiziana; Meroni, Bruno; Moroni, Mauro
- Abstract
Markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and δ agent were prospectively tested in sera of 107 intravenous drug abusers with acute hepatitis positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) associated with δ infection and compared with the findings in addicts with acute classical hepatitis B. On the basis of the presence and titer of IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, 86 of the addicts with δ infection had simultaneously acquired HBV and δ agent, and 21 were chronic carriers of HBsAg experiencing acute δ superinfection. The frequencies of biphasic and severe hepatitis were significantly higher (P < .05) in δ agent-infected patients than in controls, but the acute clinical and biochemical features of the two varieties of δ disease were not distinguishable. However, in analogy to the clinical outcome of classical hepatitis B, all patients with nonfatal acute HBV/δ coinfection had self-limited illness, whereas 20 of 21 HBsAg carriers superinfected by δ agent developed chronic active hepatitis.
- Publication
Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1985, Vol 151, Issue 5, p925
- ISSN
0022-1899
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/infdis/151.5.925