Prevalence of Hepatitis A Antibodies in Italy

Pasquini P (Via S. Godenzo 52, 00189 Roma, Italy), Kahn H A, Pileggi D, Panà A, Terzi J and D'Arca T. Prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies in Italy. International Journal of Epidemiology 1984, 13: 83–86. Prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies among 5005 naval recruits aged 18–26 from all parts of Italy was almost double in the south and islands (83. 3%) as compared to the north and central regions (45. 2%). Social-demographic variables such as education and number of siblings are associated with prevalence of anti-HAV. Hepatitis A infection is still an early acquired infection in Italy, particularly in the south where among the 18–26-year-old recruits with education limited to lower middle school or less and eight siblings or more, prevalence of anti-HAV was 95%. Good correlation exists in Italy between prevalence of anti-HAV and incidence of reported cases of hepatitis.