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Prevention of hepatitis B in Italy: lessons from surveillance of type-specific acute viral hepatitis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

A. Mele ,
M. A. Stazi ,
O. N. Gill  and
P. Pasquini
A. Mele
Affiliation:
Instituto Superiore di SanitàDept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Viale Regina Elena 299 - 00161 Rome, Italy
M. A. Stazi
Affiliation:
Instituto Superiore di SanitàDept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Viale Regina Elena 299 - 00161 Rome, Italy
O. N. Gill
Affiliation:
PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London, UK
P. Pasquini
Affiliation:
Instituto Superiore di SanitàDept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Viale Regina Elena 299 - 00161 Rome, Italy
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Summary

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The relative contribution of various risk factors to the incidence of acute hepatitis B in Italy was estimated using a special surveillance system (SEIEVA) for type-specific acute viral hepatitis. At present 146 health departments (USLs) which contain 21% of the Italian population participate in SEIEVA out of the total of 650. Data on 2460 hepatitis B cases and 708 hepatitis A cases were compared.

Hospitalization, surgical intervention, dental therapy, other percutaneous exposures, barber shop shaving, i.v. drug abuse and household contact with HBsAg carriers were associated with acute hepatitis B and a large number of cases were attributable to these risk factors.

Because the control programme based on vaccination will not be effective in the short term at reducing hepatitis B incidence, other additional interventions are recommended.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 104 , Issue 1 , February 1990 , pp. 135 - 141
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

References

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