Exacerbation of chronic liver disease due to hepatitis B surface antigen after delta infection.

This letter to the editor commented on a finding that in Italy, delta infection acquired by a hepatitis B carrier was severely detrimental to the patient. The authors of this letter stated that in Ireland they had found that the acquisition of delta infection and hepatitis B simultaneously was not usually associated with severe hepatitis. They also noted that similar results had been found in Sweden. Their evidence emanated from a study of 212 drug abusers with hepatitis B and five longterm drug abusing carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen.