Heterosexual transmission of hepatitis delta virus in the general population of an area endemic for hepatitis B virus infection: a prospective study.

A prospective study was conducted in 268 consecutive patients with overt hepatitis to examine the transmission of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in the general population of an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The patients were interviewed extensively for potential risk factors associated with transmission. Of the 203 patients with type B hepatitis, 34 (30 men, 4 women) showed serologic evidence of acute HDV infection (HDV+ group), while the other 169 did not (HDV- group). Of the 30 HDV+ men, 27 (90%) had had sexual intercourse with prostitutes within 3 months of admission, while only 31 (22.7%) of the 136 HDV- men, 8 (17.4%) of the 46 men with non-A, non-B hepatitis and 5 (8.3%) of the 60 control men had done so (P less than .001). Of the 4 HDV+ women, 1 was a prostitute and another was the wife of a patient with active HDV infection. There was no significant difference in exposure to other risk factors among these groups of patients. The results suggest that heterosexual exposure, particularly prostitute contact, is the most important route of HDV transmission in the general population of this area endemic for HBV infection.