Hepatitis D now classified as carcinogenic

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have officially reclassified the Hepatitis D virus (HDV) as carcinogenic to humans. This places it in the same category as Hepatitis B and C as a known cause of liver cancer.

Key Facts About Hepatitis D (HDV)

• Infection Mechanism: The Hepatitis D virus is a satellite virus, meaning it can only infect individuals who are already carrying the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). HDV essentially “hijacks” HBV to replicate and cannot cause infection on its own.
• Health Risks: Co-infection or superinfection with HDV dramatically worsens health outcomes. The risk of developing liver cancer increases by two to six times compared to having HBV alone.
• Cirrhosis Risk: A study published in The Lancet Oncology found that up to 75% of chronic HDV patients are likely to develop liver cirrhosis within 15 years.
• Prevalence: Viral hepatitis B, C, and D collectively affect over 300 million people globally, causing an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually from liver cirrhosis and cancer. High-risk populations are found in regions with high HBV prevalence, such as parts of Asia, Africa, and the Amazon Basin.
• Transmission: The virus spreads through contact with infected blood, unprotected sex, unsafe injections, or from mother to child during birth.

Prevention and Treatment

• Vaccination: There is no separate vaccine for Hepatitis D. The only way to prevent HDV infection is by getting the Hepatitis B vaccine, which provides protection against both viruses.
• Treatment: While HBV can be managed with lifelong antiviral medications, treatment options for HDV are more limited, though new therapies are being developed.

(Source: WHO)