Hepatitis D, also known as the delta virus, is transmitted by percutaneous and sexual transmission. Oral and perinatal transmission is uncommon. Hepatitis D commonly causes nausea, vomiting and jaundice. Uncommon manifestations are joint pain and fever. The incubation period of hepatitis D is unknown. It affects all ages and usually has an insidious onset.
HDV is an opportunistic virus. It requires the presence of actively replicating HBV virus to be expressed. Thus, most cases of HDV are in patients with chronic HBV. In this sense, the HDV virion is an incomplete virus. On its own, it is incapable of replication.
HDV infection is associated with a 3% mortality rate. Hepatitis D can be identified through serologic tests. The prevention of Hepatitis D is through vaccination for Hepatitis B.
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