Oneliner_1847

OneLiner

Presence of HDV Ab, the immunoglobulin response to hepatitis D. HDV utilizes the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) through viral complementation. Viral complementation is when a virus lacks a functional protein needed for replication and “borrows” the functional protein from another source. HDV does not contain the envelope protein in its genome; it requires the HBV genome to produce HBsAg for creation of the viral envelope and release of the HDV progeny. Therefore, HDV requires a co-infection with HBV to infect a host. Transmission of HDV includes parenteral, sexual, and perinatal methods. HDV is most likely to present as superinfections in patients with chronic HBV infection, reporting 95% of HDV cases. This is contrary to a co-infection where both HBV and HDV are acutely affecting the patient. This patient is infected with HDV, which uses viral complementation.