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SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

U.S. Prevalence of HepD May Be Higher Than Many Realize

By Karen Blum

The prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in the United States may be higher than clinicians realize.

Reviewing data from 16,143 participants aged 18 years and older in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2016, investigators from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found the prevalence of HBsAg—the surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBV) indicating a current infection—to be 0.36%. One hundred thirteen people had HBV; among