Hepatitis D
| OTHER NAMES | HDV (Hepatitis D Virus) |
| ORGANISM | Virus: hepatitis D |
| TRANSMISSION | Hepatitis D can be transmitted from person to person through sexual contact, sharing intravenous needles and syringes, razors, or toothbrushes. The virus also can be passed to a baby during pregnancy or delivery. |
| INCUBATION | Twenty one to ninety days |
| TYPICAL SYMPTOMS | May have no symptoms (especially young children). Some persons have mild flu-like symptoms, dark urine, light stools, jaundice, fatigue, and fever. |
| DIAGNOSIS | Blood test. |
| TREATMENT | There is no reliable, effective therapy specifically for chronic hepatitis D. The hepatitis D virus is only infectious in the presence of the hepatitis B virus, so treatment is for hepatitis B. |
| PREVENTION | The hepatitis D virus can only infect those also infected with hepatitis B. The hepatitis B vaccine can prevent hepatitis D from being infectious. Avoid sexual intercourse and sharing needles and syringes. Practice safer sex. Do not share personal items that may be contaminated by body fluids, such as razors and toothbrushes. |
| DANGER | Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis is three to five times more likely in persons with hepatitis B and D than with hepatitis B alone. |
| COMMENTS | Hepatitis D infects on average 4% of acute hepatitis B cases. |
DSHS Publication Number 13-11895