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12 March 2026
Hep D Hitcher
Human liver-affecting disease hepatitis D is caused by infection with hepatitis delta virus, but unlike other hepatitis viruses (such as A, B and C ) it can't spread alone. Called a satellite virus, it needs a helper like hepatitis B virus to gain entry into host cells. It was thought that molecules from the helper virus were key to D's infecting success, but now this study shows that the deltavirus in fact hitches a ride into cells packaged within the helper acting as a Trojan Horse – a previously unrecognised mode of viral transmission
Read the published research article here
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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.
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