Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pathology
Open Access

Abstract

Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV) infects only patients that are already infected by hepatitis B virus (HBV). HDV causes co-infection or super infection with sever complication as compared to only HBV infection. The aim of this study was to find out the occurrence of HDV in patients visiting Gastroenterology clinics at our Hospital. Retrospective analysis was carried out on 789 samples received from 15th July 2012 till 15th July 2016. HDV RNA and HBV DNA was extracted from HBsAg positive patient sera using High Pure Viral Nucleic Acid Kit (Roche, Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany) following the manufacturer’s instruction and amplified using Sacace Italy, HBV/HDV Multiplex Real Time PCR kit. Out of the total 789 HBsAg positive samples, HBV DNA was detected in total 569 (72.11%) samples. Of these 569 patients, HDV RNA was observed in 224 (39.26%) patients. Of the 224 HDV positive cases, 170 (75.8%) were males and 54 (24.2%) were female patients. The percentage of dual infection was found higher in male patients as compared to female patients. Total 163 (72.76%) patients were below 40 years and 61 (27.24%) were above 40 years of age. In conclusion, the HBV/HDV co-infection is high in our patient population and is higher in comparison with reported earlier in Pakistan. Its prevalence is higher in males.

Biography

Muhammad Israr Nasir has completed his PhD from Department of Genetics University of Karachi. He is an Assistant Professor, Consultant Molecular Pathologist and Head of Department of Molecular Pathology in Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College Karachi. He has published 17 papers in reputed journals. His areas of interest are molecular diagnostics for infectious disease, cytogenomics and cancers.

Email: Dr.MIsrar.Nasir@lnh.edu.pk