Hepatitis D risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2] Jolanta Marszalek, M.D. [3]

Common risk factors in the development of hepatitis D include intravenous drug use, sexual intercourse with infected individuals, hemodialysis, and occupational exposure to infected individuals and blood products ^[1][2].

Since HDV requires the support of hepatitis B virus for its own replication, inoculation with HDV in the absence of HBV will not cause hepatitis D. Alone, the viral genome replicates in a helper-independent manner, but the viral particles do not exit the cell.^[1][2]

When in the presence of hepatitis B virus, risk factors for hepatitis D include:

• Using intravenous (IV) or injection drugs
• Being infected while pregnant (the mother can pass the virus to the baby)
• Carrying the hepatitis B virus
• Men having sexual intercourse with other men
• Sexual intercourse with HDV infected persons
• Receiving many blood transfusions
• People exposed to unscreened blood or blood products
• Haemophiliacs
• Hemodialysis patients
• Health care and public safety workers
• Individuals who are not infected with HBV, and have not been immunized against HBV, are at risk of infection with HBV with simultaneous or subsequent infection with HDV.

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