HEPATITIS D

Course overview

HEPATITIS D VIRUS (HDV) WAS DISCOVERED IN 1977 IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) INFECTION. ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE AN UNRECOGNIZED HBV ANTIGEN, THE HDV NUCLEAR ANTIGEN WAS LATER DISCOVERED TO BE A PART OF A NEW PATHOGEN, INITIALLY KNOWN AS THE DELTA AGENT. HDV IS CONSIDERED A HYBRID VIRUS AS IT USES HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN (HBSAG) AS ITS ENVELOPE PROTEIN AND THEREFORE IS ONLY ABLE TO INFECT PATIENTS THAT CONCOMITANTLY HARBOR THE HBV. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, HBV REPLICATION IS SUPPRESSED IN HDV-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF HEPATITIS D AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE PATIENTS.