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Effectiveness of Hepatitis B Vaccination Campaign in Italy: Towards the Control of HBV Infection for the First Time in a European Country.
- Source :
- Viruses (1999-4915); Feb2022, Vol. 14 Issue 2, p245, 1p
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- Background: In 1991, a mass immunization campaign against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for children and teenagers was introduced in Italy. This study evaluated the impact of the immunization campaign on the incidence and modes of HBV transmission. Method: Acute HBV cases of viral hepatitis were reported to the National Surveillance System (SEIEVA). Hepatitis A cases reported to the same system were used as controls to calculate the adjusted odds ratios and the population attributable risk for potential risk factors. Results: The incidence of acute HBV declined from 5.0 in 1990 to 0.4 in 2019 per 100,000 population. The fall was almost total in people targeted by the campaign: in 2019, zero cases (100% reduction) in the age-group 0–14 years and 0.1 cases per 100,000 population (99.4% reduction) in the age-group 15–24 years were reported. In the decade 2010–2019, nearly one-fifth (19.3%) of cases occurred in foreigners. Intravenous drug use is no longer a risk factor (OR = 0.7; 95% CI = 0.5–1.02). Beauty treatments, risky sexual exposure, and household contact with an HBsAg carrier were found to be independent predictors of acute hepatitis B. Conclusions: The HB vaccination campaign proved effective in minimising acute HBV in Italy. Control of the infection is close to being reached for the first time in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19994915
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Viruses (1999-4915)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 155712766
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/v14020245