The elimination of hepatitis D as a public health problem: Needs and challenges

Abstract

Infection with hepatitis D virus leads to liver disease and cancer most rapidly of all hepatitis viruses. However, knowledge about hepatitis D remains poor and the burden and impact are underestimated, even though some 12–15 million people mainly in low‐ and middle‐income countries may be affected. Its epidemiology is changing, with increasing migration leading to increased risks of infection and disease. A recent Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board meeting reviewed the current epidemiological status, improvements in diagnostic testing, advances in the development of novel antiviral agents in phase III trials and the need for a greater public health response, such as new guidelines and recommended testing of all people newly identified as infected with hepatitis B virus for hepatitis D virus infection. It identified issues and needs for attention with regard to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening, linkage and retention-in-care in inclusion health populations: Evaluation of an outreach screening programme in London

“…Some results came from external referral clinics and therefore we cannot conclude that the absence of hepatitis D result is due to lack of testing, or result omission. Hepatitis D is globally underdiagnosed and we aim to address this in future evaluations ( 31 ). Due to small numbers, we were unable to understand the extent of liver disease in particular subgroups, such as HCV or HDV coinfection.…”

Viroids, Satellite RNAs and Prions: Folding of Nucleic Acids and Misfolding of Proteins

“… Current knowledge on virusoids and other satellite RNAs has expanded substantially [ 117 , 118 ]. The human hepatitis delta virus satellite (HDV) [ 138 , 139 ] of hepatitis B virus (HBV) increases the fatality of hepatitis and is today the object of intensive therapeutic development [ 140 , 141 ]. In the early 1980s, there was only a minor interest in rare neurodegenerative diseases like kuru, Creutzfeldt–Jakob and Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker in humans and scrapie in sheep, which seems not to be transmissible to humans.…”

“…Current knowledge on virusoids and other satellite RNAs has expanded substantially [ 117 , 118 ]. The human hepatitis delta virus satellite (HDV) [ 138 , 139 ] of hepatitis B virus (HBV) increases the fatality of hepatitis and is today the object of intensive therapeutic development [ 140 , 141 ].…”