Delta-infection and suppression of hepatitis B virus replication in chronic HBsAg carriers.

The presence of hepatitis B virus DNA and anti-delta was examined in a longitudinal study of 24 patients known to be delta-infected during the course from acute to chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Fifteen patients (63%) were hepatitis B virus DNA positive in the first serum sample. Eleven of 14 patients, who cleared hepatitis B virus DNA, did so following or at the same time as onset of delta-infection. Duration of hepatitis B virus DNA positivity in these 11 patients was shorter than in 11 anti-delta-negative controls matched according to duration of preceding hepatitis B virus DNA positivity, but the difference was not statistically significant. Considering only patients positive for IgM anti-delta in the last serum sample (eight patients), a statistically significant shorter duration of hepatitis B virus DNA positivity was found in delta-infected patients than in the controls (p less than 0.02). The study indicates that the delta-agent may have the capacity to inhibit hepatitis B virus replication and that a chronic delta-infection may lead to a termination of the period of active viral replication.