To establish the mechanism of progression to chronicity of the HB(s)Ag-associated δ infection, serum hepatitis B virus and δ markers were tested in five babies born to HB(s)Ag-positive mothers with anti-δ, in 42 follow-up patients with acute hepatitis B virus and δ hepatitis, and in collections of sera from 8 HB(s)Ag carriers with anti-δ. Evidence of δ infection was found in the baby born to a mother with serum Hb(e)Ag and in none of the four babies born to mothers with anti-HB(e). Hepatitis was self-limited in the 42 patients acutely infected by hepatitis B virus and δ agent; none developed persistent HB(s)-antigenemia and the majority displayed transient anti-δ of IgM class. In seven HB(s)Ag carriers high titers of anti-δ developed during the follow-up; coincident with the rise of the antibody, aminotransferase elevation occurred in five previously asymptomatic carriers and persisted in three of them. No sign of infectious hepatitis B virus replication was detected in five of the carriers throughout the follow-up, and all of them had anti-HB(e) before the rise of anti-δ and of aminotransferase. HB(s)Ag carriers with diminished hepatitis B virus synthesis appear to be at high risk of developing chronic δ infection and disease when exposed to the δ-infectious serum of other carriers.
Infection with the delta agent in chronic HBsAg carriers / A. SMEDILE, P. DENTICO, A.R. ZANETTI, E. SAGNELLI, E. NORDENFELT, G.C. ACTIS, M. RIZZETTO. - In: GASTROENTEROLOGY. - ISSN 0016-5085. - 81:6(1981), pp. 992-997.
Titolo: | Infection with the delta agent in chronic HBsAg carriers |
Autori: | |
Settore Scientifico Disciplinare: | Settore MED/42 - Igiene Generale e Applicata |
Data di pubblicazione: | 1981 |
Rivista: | |
Tipologia: | Article (author) |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0016-5085(81)80003-0 |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 01 - Articolo su periodico |