FAQ
01 What is coinfection or ‘simultaneous’ infection?
A co-infection or simultaneous infection is when there is a simultaneous infection with two different viruses (e.g. HBV and HDV - this particular case is rare and difficult to detect).
Sources:
Ratgeber Hepatitis B-Virusinfektion (Eleni Koukoulioti, Prof. Dr. Thomas Berg) Glossar. https://www.gastro-liga.de/fileadmin/download/Hepatitis-B-Virusinfektion_154-11-15.pdf. Juni 2020
Last update on 2023-10-27 by Bender Konzept Support.
02 What is a superinfection?
A superinfection is when the patient is already a chronic carrier of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and becomes infected with the hepatitis D virus (HDV) in a second infection (this case occurs relatively frequently).
Sources:
Ratgeber Hepatitis B-Virusinfektion (Eleni Koukoulioti, Prof. Dr. Thomas Berg) Glossar. https://www.gastro-liga.de/fileadmin/download/Hepatitis-B-Virusinfektion_154-11-15.pdf. Juni 2020
Last update on 2023-10-27 by Bender Konzept Support.
03 What is fibrosis?
A non-specific damage characterised by hyperplasia (growth) of connective tissue with an associated increase in collagen-producing fibroblasts or fibrocytes. More simply, it is a scar: in hepatitis, this is liver fibrosis, that is, scars that form on liver tissue after years of inflammation.
Sources:
Ratgeber Hepatitis B-Virusinfektion (Eleni Koukoulioti, Prof. Dr. Thomas Berg) Glossar. https://www.gastro-liga.de/fileadmin/download/Hepatitis-B-Virusinfektion_154-11-15.pdf . Juni 2020
Last update on 2023-10-27 by Bender Konzept Support.
04 What is cirrhosis?
An uncontrolled regeneration of the liver, in which fibrous scar tissue (fibrosis) and clumps of cells that were not part ofthe original structure of the liver (liver nodules) form. Cirrhosis is the result of prolonged damage to the hepatocytes.
Sources:
Ratgeber Hepatitis B-Virusinfektion (Eleni Koukoulioti, Prof. Dr. Thomas Berg) Glossar. https://www.gastro-liga.de/fileadmin/download/Hepatitis-B-Virusinfektion_154-11-15.pdf. Juni 2020
Last update on 2023-10-27 by Bender Konzept Support.
05 What is the difference between chronic and acute hepatitis D virus infection?
Chronic viral hepatitis begins with the acute phase. If the virus has been detected for more than six months, it is referred to as chronic hepatitis.
Last update on 2023-10-27 by Bender Konzept Support.