Hepatitis D screening

Screening
Drug treatment programs should screen all patients for immunity to hepatitis B. Routine screening for hepatitis D is not indicated in persons who are HBsAg positive but asymptomatic. However, the following screening and prevention procedures may be appropriate:


 * Patients known to be HBsAg positive who have acute or chronic hepatitis may be tested for hepatitis D. The followup care and counseling, however, of a person co-infected with hepatitis D is not different from that of a person who is HBsAg positive. Therefore, knowing if the patient is co-infected with hepatitis D is of limited clinical significance.
 * Patients with acute hepatitis B who are not yet HBsAg positive, but are immunoglobulin M (IgM) hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) positive, may be tested for HDV; however, again, the presence of HDV antibody will not alter the care or counseling of such a patient.
 * Patients who are HBsAg positive and/or HDV antibody positive should be advised not to share razors, toilet articles, or drinking and eating utensils.
 * Patients who are not already immune to hepatitis B virus should be vaccinated against the virus.
 * Screening is not necessary in the general population at no risk for HBV or HDV.