Delta hepatitis-related thyroid disease: a unique phenomenon

Introduction: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection is a serious health problem worldwide. Thyroid disturbances represent a major limitation to the efficacy of interferon treatment targeting chronic HDV (C-HDV) infection. Moreover, pre-treatment thy-roid diseases may be influenced by interferon therapy. Despite this, the characteristic features of the thyroid diseases in C-HDV patients remain poorly characterised. Aim: To determine the prevalence of thyroid diseases and evaluate the impact of delta hepatitis on thyroid function tests