Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Hepatitis D risk factors
Introduction
Overview
Overview
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].
Risk Factors
Risk Factors
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.
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]