EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HEPATITIS-D VIRUS (DELTA) INFECTION IN YUGOSLAVIA

In 614 HBsAg-positive Yugoslavian patients, radioimmunoassay testing f or anti-delta showed the presence of this antibody in serum in 11.2%. Of the patients. 213 belonged to a risk group (i.v. drug users, hemoph iliacs. hemodialysed patients and patients with posttransfusion hepati tis): a significant number of these patients (63; 29.6%) were found to have anti-delta. A second group was composed of 401 HBsAg-positive pa tients from the general population (patients with acute hepatitis B. w ith fulminant hepatitis B and patients with chronic HBV infection), de lta infection was found only in six (1.5%). Immunohistochemical method s failed to demonstrate the delta antigen in the livers of 73 patients with chronic HBV infection. Testing the liver of 36 patients with ful minant hepatitis B for delta antigen demonstrated this reactivity in o nly one (2.8%) liver sample. Delta antigen was also found in the liver of a female patient who underwent biopsy in 1972. The results of this study suggest the:HDV is not endemic in Yugoslavia; however. it is fr equently found in patients at risk of blood exposure. primarily i.v. d rug users.