Skip to content 
Modes of transmission
The hepatitis D virus is similar to hepatitis B in many ways. It is transmitted via blood transfusions or contact with blood. Thus, patients who use intravenous drugs are at very high risk, especially if they share needles. Patients who receive multiple blood transfusions may also have a higher risk of hepatitis D infection.
Sexual transmission of hepatitis D is possible but not as efficient as hepatitis B. However, in some cases, both hepatitis B and D can be transmitted at the same time to a new host. But unlike hepatitis B, we don’t yet have reported cases of perinatal transmission. In other words, pregnant mothers are very unlikely to pass down the disease to their newborn child in the birth canal.
