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Delta agent (Hepatitis D) - Overview

Alternative Names

Hepatitis D virus

Definition of Delta agent (Hepatitis D):

Delta agent is a type of virus called hepatitis D that causes symptoms only in people who have a hepatitis B infection.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is only found in people who carry the hepatitis B virus. HDV may make a hepatitis B infection or existing hepatitis B liver disease worse. It can cause symptoms in people with hepatitis B virus who never had symptoms.

Hepatitis D infects about 15 million people worldwide. It occurs in 5% of people with hepatitis B.

Risk factors include:

Having a hepatitis B infection in the past
Carrying the hepatitis B virus
Receiving many blood transfusions
Intravenous (IV) drug abuse
Men having intercourse with other men
Being infected while pregnant (can pass the virus to the baby)

Hepatitis B virus

Reviewed last on: 7/28/2006
Charlotte Grayson, MD, Private Practice specializing in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, Smyrna, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 5th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2000:1870-1871.

Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2003:1097-1101.