• Chien-Wei Su, Bayarmaa Ochirkhuree, Bira Namdag, Batsukh Badamnachin, Sarangua Ganbold, Sarantuya Gidaagaya, Anar Ganbold, Sien-Sing Yang, Davaadorj Duger, and Jaw-Ching Wu.
• Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
• J Chin Med Assoc. 2024 May 1; 87 (5): 480487480-487.

BackgroundHepatitis D virus (HDV) infection is highly prevalent in Mongolia. We aimed to identify the risk factors associated with HDV infection, propose preventive strategies, and evaluate the outcomes of a 3-year collaborative project between Taiwan and Mongolia.MethodsIn 2016 and 2018, we conducted onsite visits to Mongolia. Mongolian investigators collected questionnaires focusing on risk factors, demographic characteristics, and serum samples for acute HDV infections. Furthermore, 19 Mongolian seed teachers participated in a 1-week workshop on infection control in Taiwan. Subsequently, these seed teachers trained more than 400 medical personnel in Mongolia. To assess secular changes in acute HDV infection, we reviewed the registration data from the National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD) in Mongolia between 2011 and 2021.ResultsAmong the 194 Mongolian patients, 108 had dual infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HDV, while 86 had acute hepatitis B (AHB). Patients with HBV/HDV dual infections were older (28.6 vs 25.5 years, p = 0.030) and had lower rates of positive hepatitis B e antigen in their sera, lower rates of serum HBV DNA exceeding 2000 IU/mL, and higher rates of having received dental treatment (59.4% vs 40.5%, p = 0.014) and injection therapy (64.2% vs 44.0%, p = 0.009) compared with those with AHB. Analysis of NCCD data revealed that new HDV infection cases were more prevalent between 2011 and 2015 (111.20 ± 29.79 cases/y) and decreased to 54.67 ± 27.34 cases/y between 2016 and 2021 ( p = 0.010).ConclusionDental treatment and injections were associated with a higher risk of acute HDV infections in Mongolia. Through collaborative efforts, the incidence rate of HDV infection has declined in recent years.Copyright © 2024, the Chinese Medical Association.

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