Public health priority: Routine.
PHU response time Respond confirmed cases within 5 working days. Enter confirmed cases on NCIMS within 5 working days.
Case management: As for Hepatitis B.
Contact management: As for Hepatitis B.
To monitor the epidemiology and so inform the development of better prevention strategies.
A confirmed case requires laboratory definitive evidence only, in a person known to be hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAG) positive.
Not applicable.
Hepatitis D is always associated with a coexistent hepatitis B infection. Hepatitis D can occur simultaneously with an acute infection of HBV. Coinfection usually results in a self-limiting hepatitis. Hepatitis D can also occur in an HBV carrier. Superinfection often causes a fulminant acute hepatitis which progresses to chronic active hepatitis.
Hepatitis D is to be notified by laboratories on serological confirmation (ideal reporting by routine mail). Only confirmed cases should be entered onto NCIMS.
The hepatitis D virus (HDV), a virus-like particle.
The mode of transmission for hepatitis D is similar to that for Hepatitis B.
The typical incubation period is 14 to 60 days. Peak infectivity probably occurs just prior to onset of acute illness, when particles containing delta antigen are readily detected in the blood. Following onset, viraemia probably falls rapidly to low or undetectable levels.
The usual clinical presentation resembles Hepatitis B.