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| | [No title] (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21) |
 | | Hepatitis D is caused by a virus (Hepatitis D Virus, HDV) in the genus Deltavirus within the family Hepadnaviridae. |
 | | The genome consists of a positive strand circular RNA, that encodes the deltavirus nucleoprotein (delta antigen), encapsulated by hepatitis B surface antigen. |
 | | Thus, deltavirus in a replication incompetent virus that requires, for its' own replication, the presence of the hepatitis B virus. |
| www.sciencedigest.org /HEP.HTM (444 words) |
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