D. Background on HDV Treatment:The only treatment that has been used until today for chronic delta hepatitis is interferon therapy. Ribavarin has also been used in conjunction with interferon in other chronic hepatitis infections.

Gunsar, F et al. 2005. Two-year interferon therapy with or without ribavirin in chronic delta hepatitis. Antiviral Therapy. 10(6): 721-6.

Gunsar et al examined the ideal duration and dose of interferon that would produce long-term beneficial outcome, and whether simultaneous administration of ribavarin would improve the outcome of the patient with chronic HDV. They found improvement in about 20% of subjects after a two-year course of interferon. Subjects with liver disease before starting therapy did not respond, and ribavarin use did not seem to help the outcome.