Mass Vaccination Against Hepatitis B in Infants in Italy

Piazza, Marcello; Villa, G. Da; Picciotto, L; Abrescia, Nicola G. A.; Guadagning, Vincenzo; Memoli, A.M.; Vegnente, Angela; Iorio, Raffaele; Cimmino, Luigi

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(88)90540-5

Cited by 47 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…[19][20][21] In fact, because of the high prevalence of HBV infection, a mass vaccination program against hepatitis B has been implemented in Italy earlier than in other European countries. 22 Also, HAV and HCV are very common in southern Italy. [23][24][25] In this study, a high percentage (61%) of children experienced spontaneous normalization of liver enzymes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hypertransaminasemia in childhood as a marker of genetic liver disorders

et al. 2005

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hypertransaminasemia in childhood as a marker of genetic liver disorders

et al. 2005

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“…The vaccine is 95% effective in preventing infection and the development of chronic disease and liver cancer due to hepatitis B. In Italy, HBV vaccination is also recommended for people at risk of acquiring HBV infection, including those with important occupational risk as health workers [3][4][5]. In Italy, according to the national laws, students are also considered as workers, and therefore, if they are exposed to physical, chemical, biological or psychological risks, they are evaluated by an occupational health physician.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers two decades after vaccination in a cohort of students and post-graduates of the Medical School at the University of Palermo, Italy

Verso¹,

Cascio

Laddeca³

et al. 2017

Ann Agric Environ Med.

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Introduction and objective. The introduction of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) for newborn babies in Italy in 1991, extended to 12-year-old children for the first 12 years of application, has been a major achievement in terms of the prevention of HBV infection. The objective of this study was to analyse the long-term immunogenicity and effectiveness of HBV vaccination among healthcare students with different working seniorities. Materials and method. A cross-sectional observational study of undergraduate and postgraduate students attending the Medical School of the University of Palermo was conducted from January 2014 -July 2016. HBV serum markers were performed with commercial chemiluminescence assays. Categorical variables were analyzed using the chi-square test (Mantel-Haenszel), whereas means were compared by using the Student's t test. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated by a multivariable logistic regression, using a model constructed to examine predictors of anti-HBs titer above 10 mIU/mL, assumed as protective. Results. Of the 2,114 subjects evaluated -all vaccinated at infancy or at the age of 12 years and were HBsAg/anti-HBc negative -806 (38.1%) had an anti-HBs titre <10 IU/L. The latter were younger, more likely to be attending a healthcare profession school (i.e., nursing and midwifery), than a medical postgraduate level school, and more likely to have been vaccinated in infancy (p <0.001, 95% CI 2. adjusted OR 3.70). Conclusion. The results of the study suggest that assessment of HBV serum markers in workers potentially exposed to hospital infections is useful for identifying small numbers of unvaccinated subjects, or vaccinated subjects with low antibody titre, all of whom should be referred to a booster series of vaccinations.

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“…Being in an endemic area, Italy developed a policy to control HBV infection since 1983, implementing at first selective vaccination of high-risk groups, then in 1991 mandatory universal vaccination was introduced for infants and 12 years old adolescents, together with mandatory screening of pregnant women [Piazza et al, 1998;Zanetti et al, 2005]. As a consequence of this policy and as a result of social, behavioral, and demographic changes, a sharp decline in the rate of HBV infection has been observed since then [FitzSimmons et al, 2004].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical and virological survey of patients with hepatitis B surface antigen in an Italian region: Clinical considerations and disease burden

Torre

Basso

Giannini

et al. 2009

Journal of Medical Virology

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The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in an Italian region, Liguria (1,572,000 inhabitants), by means of a network of 12 referral centers for liver diseases. All patients with HBV surface antigen followed throughout 2006 were included. Personal data, infectious status with risk factors, other non-infectious risk factors for liver disease, clinical status, and treatment were the questionnaire. Four hundred forty-five patients (71% male) were evaluated. Their median age was 48 years (range 5-84), and 83.4% were of Italian origin. Community-acquired infection was the principal mode of HBV transmission (82.5%), followed by previous intravenous drug use (9.4%), perinatal transmission (6.3%), and transfusion-associated transmission (1.8%). Hepatitis B e-antigen was present in 20.4% of the patients, while co-infections with hepatitis D virus and/or hepatitis C virus and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were observed in 18.7% of the patients. Chronic active hepatitis was present in 62.5% of the patients, cirrhosis in 13.5%, hepatocellular carcinoma in 2.2%, and 21.8% of the patients were inactive carriers of HBV. In all, 42.5% of the patients were treated with interferon or lamivudine and/or adefovir-dipivoxil. Forty-nine patients were co-infected with HIV (86% on highly active antiviral therapy). Nevertheless, this study identified only 2.2% of the expected patients with HBV. Hence, it has to be reasoned that few potential infectious or treatable patients are referred to liver disease centers. HBV infection is still an underestimated health problem, and few potential infectious or treatable patients are referred to tertiary centers.

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Mass Vaccination Against Hepatitis B in Infants in Italy

Cited by 47 publications

References 2 publications

Hypertransaminasemia in childhood as a marker of genetic liver disorders

Hypertransaminasemia in childhood as a marker of genetic liver disorders

Predictors of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers two decades after vaccination in a cohort of students and post-graduates of the Medical School at the University of Palermo, Italy

Clinical and virological survey of patients with hepatitis B surface antigen in an Italian region: Clinical considerations and disease burden

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