Doctor Phuong Le Tri, Executive Director of the Tam Anh Research Institute, announced this initiative is part of the HEP-D study on viral hepatitis D. The study is a collaboration between the Tam Anh Research Institute and Stanford University's Institute for Microbiology and Epidemic Control in the US.

Hepatitis D is known to occur exclusively in individuals already infected with hepatitis B. For those co-infected with both viruses, the risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer is two to three times higher than for those with hepatitis B alone. The study's objective is early detection, which will facilitate better management of hepatitis B and more effective prevention of cirrhosis and liver cancer in co-infected patients.

Free testing will be available at three hospitals: Tam Anh TP HCM, Tam Anh Hanoi, and Bach Mai in Hanoi. The program will run from november 25 until 7/2026, targeting the first nearly 2,500 eligible patients. Participants must be 16 years or older with chronic hepatitis B.

"Data collected on the co-infection rates of hepatitis B and D, disease progression, and complication risks will be crucial for the HEP-D project's future research into specific drug treatments," Doctor Tri stated.

The Ministry of Health estimates that nearly 10 million people in Vietnam are infected with hepatitis B, with millions of cases progressing to cirrhosis and liver cancer each year. Despite this, there is currently no global treatment for hepatitis D.

Technicians at the Tam Anh General Hospital's Laboratory Center operate a BioDot system from the US. They use the Q-MAC technique to detect hepatitis D virus antibodies, which can lead to liver cancer. *Photo: Hospital provided*.

In 11/2023, the Tam Anh Research Institute and the Stanford Institute for Microbiology and Epidemic Control signed an agreement. This collaboration launched the first viral hepatitis D testing training in Vietnam and initiated clinical trials for new drugs targeting dengue fever and cancer. The hepatitis D testing, adhering to Stanford's standards, is a core component of this research.

Stanford scientists developed and validated the hepatitis D testing protocol, ensuring global standard results. To implement this, Stanford University's Institute for Microbiology and Epidemic Control transferred the Q-MAC technique to technicians at the Tam Anh Research Institute's Laboratory Center. This specialized testing system is dedicated solely to research, not routine medical examinations or treatments.

The hepatitis D virus (HDV) transmits through blood and bodily fluids, similar to the hepatitis B virus (HBV). HDV is a "defective" RNA virus, meaning it can only survive and replicate when HBV is present. Consequently, HDV only affects individuals already infected with HBV. When HDV attacks an HBV-infected person, it utilizes HBV's HBsAg envelope to penetrate liver cells.

Upon entering the body, HDV aggressively attacks liver cells and triggers a robust immune response, leading to more severe liver damage than HBV alone. Routine hepatitis D testing is not common, resulting in most hepatitis B patients being unaware of potential co-infection.

Thanh Nguyen