Epidemiological Study of Hepatitis D Virus in HBsAg Positive Patients in Khorramabad City, West of Iran, 2019

 Co-infection of HBV and HDV leads to more severe hepatitis, with a higher risk of acute liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of HDV in HBsAg-positive patients in Khorramabad, which has not been previously evaluated.

 A total of 200 patients who tested positive for HBsAg were included in this study. Venous blood samples were collected in EDTA-free tubes. An ELISA test was performed to detect antibodies against HDV, and positive samples were further confirmed using RT-PCR. Population data were analyzed using SPSS software, and a P value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant for all tests.

 Out of the total participants, there were 119 (59.5%) men and 81 (40.5%) women. The age of the patients varied from 5 to 89 years, with an average age of 49.66 years. The HDV ELISA test was performed on HBsAg-positive individuals, yielding positive results for 37 (18.5%) patients. Additionally, 10 (5%) patients showed borderline infection. The HDV RT-PCR results indicated that 42 (21%) individuals tested positive. The prevalence of HDV showed a statistically significant difference between urban and rural areas with respect to molecular RT-PCR testing (P=0.032). Additionally, women, married individuals, and drug addicts were found to be at a higher risk of HDV infection.

 There is a high prevalence of HDV infection among patients who test positive for HBsAg in Khorramabad. Therefore, assessing the prevalence of HDV in HBsAg-positive patients can aid in ensuring timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment for these individuals.