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There are two types of hepatitis D acute (recently acquired) hepatitis D and chronic (life-long) hepatitis D. Each type is treated differently.

There are no specific medicines that can cure hepatitis D. Therefore, treatment for acute hepatitis D is focused on dealing with any symptoms or complications that may occur. This is known as supportive care. Even without specialized treatment for acute hepatitis D, most people recover completely within a few months.

Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis D Treatment.Although many people who are exposed to hepatitis D are able to get rid of the virus, some people can develop chronic hepatitis D.

This may lead to liver damage, liver cancer, and even death.There are no drugs that are approved to treat a chronic hepatitis D infection. There is some indication that certain medicines used to treat hepatitis B may be effective against hepatitis D. Among these medicines are alpha interferon and pegylated alpha interferon. However, there is no consensus on how much of these medicines should be used and for how long. It is also not known if these medicines change the natural course of the disease.

For people with severe liver disease caused by hepatitis D, liver transplantation has been shown to be effective. If hepatitis D does return in a person who has had a liver transplant, liver injury is usually limited. In fact, the prognosis for liver transplantation in people with hepatitis D is better than the pr

Currently there is no effective antiviral therapy available for treatment of acute or chronic type D hepatitis.

Most people with acute viral hepatitis experience a self-limited illness (one that runs a defined, limited course) and go on to recover completely. There is no accepted therapy, nor restrictions on diet
or activity.

Alpha interferon, the natural body substance which helps control hepatitis C, has generally not been found helpful in treating hepatitis D. If the liver is largely destroyed and has stopped functioning, liver transplantation is an option. Even when the procedure is successful, disease often recurs and cirrhosis may actually develop more rapidly than before. The effect of interferon is considered to be most likely an indirect one, possibly via an effect on the helper hepadnavirus and/or on the immune response to the infections.

Acyclovir, ribavirin, lamivudine and synthetic analogues of thymosin have proved ineffective. Immunosuppressive agents do not have any effect on hepatitis D.

Liver transplantation has been helpful for treating fulminant acute and end-stage chronic hepatitis. In one study, the 5-year survival rate of transplant patients for terminal delta cirrhosis was 88% with reappearance of HBsAg only in 9% under long-term anti-HBs prophylaxis.ognosis for liver transplantation in people who have hepatitis B without hepatitis D.

Regardless of whether you have acute or chronic hepatitis D, you should take certain steps to stay healthy and avoid hurting your liver — both as your body is fighting the hepatitis D virus and after hepatitis D treatment has ended. Following are some things you can do to stay healthy:

Exercising Regularly:Do light-to-moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day. Walking is one example of an activity that can provide light to moderate exercise.

Avoiding Alcohol:Alcohol poisons your liver and can cause even more damage to the cells that are already fighting the hepatitis D virus. The exact amount of alcohol that will harm the liver isn’t known. Therefore, it is generally recommended that people with hepatitis D avoid alcohol completely.

Avoiding Medicines that can Harm the Liver: Talk with your healthcare provider about all of the medicines that you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as well as vitamins and herbal remedies.

Drinking Plenty of Fluids:You should try to drink at least 10 to 16 glasses a day of water, clear juices, or other drinks that do not have caffeine in them.

Getting Enough Calories:Many people with hepatitis D — especially those taking medication — get nauseous. In order to get enough calories, try eating several small meals throughout the day (instead of three large meals a day). If you feel sick in the morning, try eating some crackers or dry toast before getting out of bed. It may also help to drink lemon water or have a lemon drop.

There are also a number of things that a person with chronic hepatitis D can do to help stay healthy both during and after treatment for hepatitis D. Some of these things include:

1.Learning how to protect yourself from other hepatitis viruses.
2.Asking your doctor about the hepatitis A vaccine
3.Asking your doctor about tests to check for liver damage
4.Avoiding sharing needles
5.Avoiding unsafe sex
6.Getting plenty of rest.

Despite recent advances in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, therapy of chronic hepatitis D is not yet satisfactory. The only option currently available is interferon-α (IFN), whose efficacy is related to the dose and duration of treatment. However, the rate of sustained hepatitis D virus (HDV) clearance after a 1-year course with high doses of standard IFN is low. Better results have recently been reported with pegylated IFN both in IFN-naïve and in previous nonresponders to standard IFN, suggesting the use of pegylated IFN as a first-line therapy in chronic hepatitis D.

Nucleoside analogues that inhibit hepatitis B virus (HBV) are ineffective against HDV and combination therapy with lamivudine or ribavirin has not shown significant advantages over monotherapy with either standard or pegylated IFN. Because the ultimate goal of treatment is eradication of both HDV and HBV, in responders IFN therapy should be continued as long as possible until the loss of hepatitis B surface antigen, adjusting the dose to patient tolerance. However, because side-effects are common, continuous monitoring is mandatory. Although the first results obtained with pegylated IFN have been encouraging, the rate of sustained virological response is still low and the rate of relapse high, emphasizing the need for developing novel classes of antivirals specifically interfering with the life cycle of this unique virus.

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