A form of hepatitis caused by the hepatitis delta virus (HDV). It is considered a \u201cdefective\u201d virus because it can produce infection only when hepatitis B virus (HBV) is present and therefore can be prevented through hepatitis B vaccination. It is rare in the U.S. In healthy people, coinfection with HDV and HBV usually causes acute disease and recovery with immunity. In patients with chronic hepatitis B, it may produce severe acute disease or, more commonly, chronic progressive disease that may lead to cirrhosis. Mortality is approx. 10%. Hepatitis D antigens (HDV RNA) are found in the blood and fiver and stimulate production of an antibody that is present only briefly during early acute infection. Hepatitis D virus is also sometimes referred to as delta hepatitis.<\/p>\n
Hepatitis D is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis D virus and is found exclusively in individuals who already have hepatitis B infection. Those who contract hepatitis D typically experience severe chronic liver disease. It is also referred to as delta hepatitis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A form of hepatitis caused by the hepatitis delta virus (HDV). It is considered a \u201cdefective\u201d virus because it can produce infection only when hepatitis B virus (HBV) is present and therefore can be prevented through hepatitis B vaccination. It is rare in the U.S. In healthy people, coinfection with HDV and HBV usually causes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-h"],"yoast_head":"\n