The following is a summary of “Growing Awareness: Limited Testing and Screening Bias for Hepatitis Delta Virus in Utah 2000–2021,” published in the March 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Hesterman, et al.
Researchers launched a historical analysis to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) within the University of Utah UHealth healthcare system (2000 to 2021).
They analyzed testing for HDV and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), diagnostic codes, liver enzymes, and comorbidities.
The results showed that of 1,962 patients diagnosed with HBV, only 22.2% received testing for HDV, uncovering a positivity rate of 8.3% for HDV coinfections. The investigation noted a continual rise in HBV and HDV instances, with elevated HDV detection rates associated with expanded testing. The study indicated restricted HDV testing and potential screening biases.
Investigators concluded the importance of enhanced HDV testing and monitoring for timely diagnosis and tailored treatment strategies.
Source: academic.oup.com/jid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/infdis/jiae023/7624312
