Migration: Public Health Issues (Polio, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria)

Prevalence of HBV-genotypes in immigrants affected by HBV-related chronic active hepatitis

“…Many of these subjects (about 50%) presented normal ALT and undetectable serum HBV DNA in PCR. The data about the normal ALT levels is not surprising, because many studies have evidenced as, particularly in sub-Saharan African population, HBV-infection is characterized by an elevated prevalence (>8%), but many infected subjects (a variable rate of 40%-65% in the different studies) not present biochemical activity of diseases (10,14,15) . The high rate of HBs-positive patients with undetectable DNA in PCR is probably connected with the use of primers not adequate for some HBV isolates from Africa.…”

Prevalence of HBV genotypes in South American immigrants affected by HBV-related chronic active hepatitis

“…All of these subjects presented elevated serum ALT levels and detectable serum HBV-DNA in PCR. The data about the elevated ALT levels is surprising, because many studies have evidenced that in immigrant subjects, particularly in sub-Saharan African population, but also in South American people, HBV infection is characterized by an elevated prevalence (> 8%), but many infected subjects (a variable rate of 40-65% in the different studies) not present biochemical activity of diseases [11,14,15]. Probably, our data is connected with the low number of infected subjects.…”

“…Some recent studies have evidenced that in immigrants the prevalent infectious diseases are represented by HIV, tuberculosis and chronic viral hepatitis, more frequently caused by HBV [11][12][13][14][15]. People coming from South America represent about 20% of total immigrants in Italy and they are an important community in our country.…”