[Incidence of hepatitis D virus infection in chronic hepatitis B virus carriers].

In carriers of HBsAg (Hepatitis B virus surface antigen) the incidence of Hepatitis D virus infection was studied in 72 (61.3%) males and 45 (38.5%) females, totally in 117 cases with a mean age of 34.8 years. There were 26 (22.2%) asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg where in other chronic carriers the diagnosis were as follows; 29 (24.7%) chronic persistent hepatitis, 20 (17.0%) chronic lobular hepatitis, 23 (19.6%) chronic active hepatitis and 19 (16.2%) posthepatic cirrhosis. The incidence of HDV serologic markers were found to be positive in 19 (16.2%) out of 117 cases.