Infection with hepatitis delta and human immunodeficiency viruses among hemophiliacs in Japan.

Two hundred two patients with hemophilia, dependent solely on imported coagulation factor concentrates, were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection, antibody to hepatitis delta virus (anti-HD), and antibody to human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV). Nine carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were identified. Six (66.7%) of them were positive for anti-HD, a prevalence much higher than that in HBsAg carriers without hemophilia in Japan (1/113 or 0.9%, p less than 0.001). Anti-HIV was found in 96 (47.5%), in sharp contrast to the low prevalence (0/1205) in apparently healthy blood donors (p less than 0.001). These results implicated imported plasma products in the transmission of both delta and human immunodeficiency viruses to hemophiliacs. An efficient method for the sterilization of plasma products is warranted to prevent exposure of hemophiliacs to the accompanying pathogenic viruses.