Prevalence of Hepatitis D Virus among the Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Gujarat, India-A Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Hepatitis D (Delta) Virus (HDV) infection is present worldwide, with an estimated 18 million people being infected. HDV can infect individuals who are already infected with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), leading to severe liver disease. The global prevalence of HDV varies by geographical region. In India, there is a lack of data on HDV infection among individuals exposed to HBV. Detecting HDV infection in Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients can improve patient outcomes. Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of HDV in HBsAg-positive patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Shri M.P. Shah Government Medical College and Guru Gobind Singh Government Hospital in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India, over a period of one year from September 2022 to August 2023. A total of 350 HBsAg Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)-positive cases were included in the study. Serum samples from patients in various inpatient and outpatient departments of the hospital were tested for HBsAg infection using ELISA. After confirming positive results for HBsAg, all samples were tested for anti-HDV IgM antibodies by ELISA. Demographic and clinical findings were recorded for all patients. Statistical analysis was performed using means and percentages, and p-values were calculated using the Chi-square test to determine the seroprevalence of HDV. Results: Among the 350 HBsAg-positive cases, a higher prevalence was observed in middle-aged and older females. Ten (2.9%) cases were positive for anti-HDV antibodies. Of the 10 anti-HDV antibody-positive patients, 5 (50%) reported a history of blood transfusion. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HDV was found to be 2.9% in HBsAg-positive patients in this study, with a predominance in middle-aged and older females. Additionally, the most common route of transmission identified was blood transfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]