Why in the News?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reclassified hepatitis D virus (HDV) as carcinogenic, following the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) assessment based on data from The Lancet Oncology.
About Hepatitis D:
- What is it: Hepatitis D is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV).
- Cause: Hepatitis D virus (HDV), an incomplete virus needing hepatitis B virus (HBV) for replication.
- Infection Types:
- Co-infection – HDV + HBV at the same time.
- Superinfection – HDV infects someone already with HBV.
- Transmission: Parenteral exposure (injections, transfusions), mother-to-child, sexual contact.
- Diagnosis: Blood tests for HDV antibodies and HDV-RNA.
- Prevention: HBV vaccination, safe blood practices, safe sex, screening, avoid needle sharing.
Why Hepatitis D is Carcinogenic?
- Causes more severe liver damage than HBV alone.
- HBV–HDV co-infection raises liver cancer risk 2–6 times compared to HBV-only cases.
- Up to 75% develop cirrhosis within 15 years.
- Can cause cancer even without cirrhosis due to HBV DNA integration + HDV-induced damage.
Back2Basics: Hepatitis
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| [UPSC 2019] Which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV. (b) Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine. * (c) Globally, the number of people infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses are several times more than those infected with HIV. (d) Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses do not show the symptoms for many years. |
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