Definition
Hepatitis D (also known as Delta hepatitis) is an inflammatory disease that affects the liver. More specifically, it is an infectious disease caused by a virus.
The virus responsible for the onset of this pathology can trigger both acute and chronic infection.
Causes
Hepatitis D is caused by an RNA virus belonging to the Deltavirus family: the hepatitis D virus or HDV.
This virus is defined as "defective" because it needs the presence of the hepatitis B virus (or HBV) in order to replicate. The disease, therefore, can only arise if an individual contracts a "multiple infection with HDV and HBV (we therefore speak of co-infection), or in the case in which HDV is contracted by an individual who is already a chronic carrier of HBV (we therefore speak of super-infection).
HDV is transmitted through contact with blood and / or body fluids (such as vaginal secretions and semen) of infected individuals. Transmission of the virus, therefore, can occur through the use of needles or syringes used by infected individuals (as can happen, for example, among drug addicts), through unprotected sexual relations with occasional partners and through the promiscuous use of personal hygiene items.
In addition, it is possible for pregnant women to pass the virus to the fetus.
Symptoms
The hepatitis D virus has an incubation period of 2-6 months, after which symptoms appear. The severity of the symptoms varies depending on whether you are in the presence of a co-infection or a super-infection .
In the case of co-infection with HDV and HBV, the same symptoms occur as in the case of acute HBV infection (such as nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, tiredness, weakness, abdominal, muscle and joint pain, fever, pale stools , dark urine and jaundice), but the resulting symptoms are more severe than usual.
In the case of HDV over-infection, however, the virus will only worsen the existing chronic hepatitis B, thus causing greater liver damage and favoring the course of the disease towards complications such as liver cirrhosis.
Furthermore, hepatitis D can also evolve into dangerous fulminant hepatitis.
The information on Hepatitis D - Medicines for the Treatment of Hepatitis D is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Hepatitis D - Medicines for the Treatment of " Hepatitis D.
Medicines
Unfortunately, there are no real drugs for the treatment of hepatitis D.
However, in some cases a pharmacological treatment based on peginterferon can be carried out, but this therapeutic strategy does not always allow to achieve the desired results.
The drugs that can be used in the therapy against hepatitis D and some examples of pharmacological specialties are described below; it is up to the doctor to choose the most suitable active ingredient and dosage for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state of health of the patient and his response to treatment.
Peginterferon alfa-2a and 2b (Pegasys ®, PegIntron ®, ViraferonPeg ®): these medicines are normally used for the treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in combination with antivirals. However, as mentioned, in some cases these drugs can be used for the treatment of hepatitis D.
Peginterferon alfa therapy may be useful in reducing the severity of the infection, but it must be done at high doses and for long periods of time. Furthermore, in most cases, the improvements induced by treatment with the drug persist only as long as this is done. taken, while there is a worsening of the disease when the treatment is stopped.
Treatment with peginterferon alfa is effective and allows viral clearance (ie elimination of the virus from the body) to be achieved in only 15-20% of patients.
