[A seroepidemiological study on hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in Henan Province, China].

In order to investigate the distribution of HDV infection in Henan province, a seroepidemiological study on HDV infection was conducted. A total number of 1182 HBsAg positive serum samples was collected from 13 prefectures and cities between 1991 and 1993. HDV markers (HDAg, anti-HDV, anti-HDV-IgM) were tested with Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA). The prevalence rates of HDAg, anti-HDV, anti-HDV-IgM and HDV infection rate were 3.0%, 3.5%, 3.5% and 8.1%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence rates of HDV infection in patients of different sexes but significant differences in the prevalence rates of HDV infection in patients of different ages, especially in age group above 60, were noticed. We also noticed that the infection rates of HDV were 8.7%, 4.6%, 7.7%, 6.3%, 11.9% and 0.0% in the groups of HBsAg carriers, acute hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and severe hepatitis, respectively. These findings indicated that HDV infection was important in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B and in the exacerbation from liver disease to cirrhosis.