Why in News?
- The World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have officially recognised the Hepatitis D virus (HDV) as carcinogenic, placing it in their highest risk category.
- This classification aligns HDV with Hepatitis B and C viruses as proven causes of liver cancer.
Understanding Hepatitis D
- Hepatitis D is a blood‑borne virus that requires the presence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) to replicate. It occurs either as a simultaneous infection (co‑infection) or a subsequent infection in an existing HBV carrier (superinfection).
- The virus affects an estimated 12 million people worldwide, or about 5 % of chronic HBV carriers. It is more prevalent in Asia, Africa and the Amazon basin, and among injection‑drug users and dialysis patients.
Why Is HDV Considered Carcinogenic?
- Co‑infection with HBV dramatically increases the risk of liver cancer—up to six times higher than HBV alone.
- Hepatitis D causes rapid liver damage; around three‑quarters of co‑infected patients develop cirrhosis within 15 years.
- The virus hijacks HBV’s replication machinery, leading to high viral loads and increased oncogenic stress on liver cells.
Symptoms and Transmission
- Symptoms often include fatigue, jaundice, nausea, abdominal pain and dark urine. Many cases remain undiagnosed or mistaken for other illnesses.
- Transmission occurs through infected blood, unprotected sex, unsafe injections and vertical transmission from mother to child.
Treatment Landscape
- There is no vaccine for HDV; the HBV vaccine remains the only preventive measure for both viruses.
- Bulevirtide, a medication approved in parts of Europe, shows promise when used with interferon, but treatments remain limited and costly.
- Global testing and treatment rates are low—only a small fraction of HBV and HCV cases are diagnosed and treated.
Conclusion
The classification of Hepatitis D as carcinogenic underscores the urgent need for better screening, vaccination and access to treatment. Strengthening public health infrastructure and raising awareness can prevent thousands of cases of liver cancer.
