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Review
. 2014 Nov 3;4(11):a021550.
doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a021550.

Hepatitis D virus coinfection and superinfection

Francesco Negro  1
Affiliations
Review

Hepatitis D virus coinfection and superinfection

Francesco Negro. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. .

Abstract

HDV is a defective RNA pathogen requiring the simultaneous presence of HBV to complete its life cycle. Two major specific patterns of infection have been described: the coinfection with HDV and HBV of a susceptible, anti-HBs-negative individual, or the HDV superinfection of a chronic HBV carrier. Coinfection mostly leads to the eradication of both agents, whereas the majority of patients with HDV superinfection evolve to chronic HDV infection and hepatitis. Chronic HDV infection worsens the preexisting HBV-related liver damage. HDV-associated chronic liver disease (chronic hepatitis D) is characterized by necroinflammation and the relentless deposition of collagen culminating, within a few decades, into the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Serologic patterns of hepatitis D. Coinfection with HBV and HDV leading to eradication of both viruses (top panel), self-limited superinfection with HDV of a chronic HBV carrier (middle panel), and superinfection with HDV of a chronic HBV carrier leading to persistent HDV infection (bottom panel). The expression levels of antigens, DNA or RNA, IgM, and IgG for both HDV and HBV and ALT are indicated. (From Pascarella and Negro 2011; reprinted, with permission, from Wiley © 2011.)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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