vi·ral hep·a·ti·tis type D

acute or chronic hepatitis caused by a satellite virus, the hepatitis delta virus, a defective RNA virus requiring HBV for replication because it uses HB_sAg as its own coat. The acute type occurs in two forms: 1) coinfection, the simultaneous occurrence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus infections, which usually is self-limiting; 2) superinfection, the appearance of hepatitis delta virus infection in a hepatitis B virus carrier, which often leads to chronic hepatitis The chronic type appears to be more severe than other types of viral hepatitis.

Synonym(s): delta hepatitis, hepatitis D

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

vi·ral hep·a·ti·tis type D

(vī'răl hep'ă-tī'tis tīp)

Acute or chronic hepatitis caused by the hepatitis delta virus, a defective RNA virus requiring hepatitis B virus for replication. The acute type occurs in two forms: 1) coinfection, the simultaneous occurrence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus infections; 2) superinfection, the appearance of hepatitis delta virus infection in a hepatitis B virus carrier.
Synonym(s): delta hepatitis.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

delta hepatitis

An acute, often severe, form of HEPATITIS caused by an RNA virus which is dependent on the hepatitis B virus for its replication. It is acquired along with the hepatitis B virus or it can infect hepatitis B carriers, in both cases by close personal contact or needle sharing.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

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References in periodicals archive

Future development of molecular assays for diagnosis of delta hepatitis should take into account this high genetic variability.

Eighth major clade for hepatitis delta virus

We studied 40 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (mean age 42 years, range 23-62 years, 9 women and 31 men); 23 patients were chronically infected with hepatitis B, 14 with hepatitis C, and 3 with delta hepatitis. The diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis was based on an increase in the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, EC 2.6.1.2) concentration for the previous 6 months and serological testing.

Assessment of monoethylglycinexylidide as measure of liver function for patients with chronic viral hepatitis

* Hepatitis D-formerly called delta hepatitis, is found mainly in intravenous drug users who are carriers of the hepatitis B virus which is necessary for the hepatitis D virus to spread.

Viral hepatitis, everybody's problem?

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