How Is Hepatitis D Diagnosed?
In order to make a
hepatitis D diagnosis, the doctor will begin by asking a number of questions about your medical history, including questions about:
- Symptoms
- Current medical conditions, including hepatitis B
- Current medications
- Family history of medical conditions
- Any recent travel
- Alcohol and/or drug use
- Sexual history.
The doctor will also perform a physical exam to look for signs and symptoms of hepatitis D.
Tests Used to Diagnose Hepatitis D
If the doctor suspects hepatitis D, he or she will order certain tests to help make the diagnosis. Liver enzyme tests, which look at certain levels of liver enzymes in the blood, are among these tests that may be used to diagnose hepatitis D. Other tests will look for antibodies the body has made against the hepatitis D virus.
Is It Hepatitis D -- Or Another Medical Condition?
There are a number of conditions that have the same symptoms as hepatitis D.
The doctor will consider these conditions before diagnosing hepatitis D. Some of these other conditions include:
- Mononucleosis (mono)
- Other types of viral hepatitis, including hepatitis A, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and hepatitis E
- Reaction to medicines, such as birth control pills, certain antibiotics, or acetaminophen (Tylenol®)
- Infections caused by certain viruses, such as herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, or coxsackievirus
- Toxoplasmosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Wilson's disease
- Liver cancer
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE for short).
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