1,720,972 research outputs found
Distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: prevalence in the general population and follow-up in positive subjects
No full textChanging patterns in the seroepidemiology of hepatitis viruses in Sardinian young adults
No full textEpidemiology and prevention of Rotavirus infection:an underestimated issue?
No full textRotaviruses (RVs) were found to cause human disease in 1973. They are the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children of <5 years of age worldwide and they are the cause of approximately half a million deaths each year. The impact of the disease on families and society (increased health care costs, lost productivity) is extremely significant and the incidence of gastroenteritis (RVGE) is similar both in industrialized and in developing countries. Virtually, all the children will be Infected by RVs before the ages of 3-5 years with the highest incidence rate registered between 6-24 months of age while the greatest risk for developing severe disease by RV occurs under 12 months of age. Clinically, the infection can vary from asymptomatic and sub clinic forms, which are more common in older children and adults, to acute gastroenteritis with fever, vomiting and self-limiting watery diarrhea which persist for 3 to 8 days. Severe forms with profuse diarrhea accompanied by vomiting and fever with risk of dehydration not adequately and rapidly correct can be fatal, mainly in developing countries. Hygienic-sanitary measures are unable to limit the diffusion of this infection and vaccination at present seems the only effective system to reduce the burden of the disease, human and economic costs related to RVGE. Since the 1980s research has focused on the development of RV vaccines. Vaccines against RV are efficacious, and underwent extensive safety trials (involving more than 130,000); no association with intussusception was detected and in four years since they were licensed a substantial reduction in the rates of RVs hospitalization and deaths for RVs infection have been observed both in developed and less-developed countries. It has been also described in different studies that herd immunity can be induced by RV vaccines (as an indirect effect) by reducing the risk of unvaccinated persons to be infected. Thus, introduction of the vaccine into countries immunization programs is likely to have a greater effect than that predicted on the basis of the efficacy trials. The worldwide epidemiological impact of RV infection pointed the development of safe and effective vaccines against RVs as a public health priority. The great economical burden on health care systems and families suggests the importance of monitoring circulating strains, establishment of systems for surveillance and implementation of universal newborns vaccinaton
Evidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in human and pigs in Sardinia, Italy.
No full textAbstract
INTRODUCTION:
The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of anti-HEV antibodies in humans sera and to study HEV prevalence in swine from different Sardinian farms, testing viral HEV-RNA in bile samples.
METHODS:
In the first six months of 2008, 532 subjects of whom 402 blood donors and 130 workers at zoonotic risk, were enrolled. Anti-HEV were determined with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In positive subjects, RNA was extracted and tested by RT-Nested-PCR. From July 2006 to March 2007, 95 bile samples were collected from randomly selected pigs. RNA was extracted from 250 microl of bile and tested by RT-Nested-PCR.
RESULTS:
The overall prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies was 4.3%; 5.0% among blood donors and 2.3% among workers at zoonotic risk, with no statistically significant differences between sex, age classes and occupation. The search for HEV-RNA in the subjects positive for antibodies, gave negative results. HEV genome was detected in 6 of the 95 swine bile samples tested. Sequences were clustered within the genotype 3 and are edited on GenBank under accession number: from FJ850960 to FJ850962 and from FJ883000 to FJ883002.
DISCUSSION:
The overall prevalence of anti-HEV shows that the virus circulates without giving origin to cases of acute hepatitis. The low prevalence value found in workers at zoonotic risk do not apparently support the hypothesis of professional risk. In this study, HEV-RNA was isolated from pigs in Sardinia for the first time confirming the role of swine as HEV reservoir and the possibility of virus transmission to humans
An evaluation of the application and the effectiveness of preventive measures against the Hepatitis viral infection in Sardinia
No full textEpidemiological impact of Italian mandatory vaccination against hepatitis B in young adults
No full textBackground: Viral hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a leading cause of acute and chronic liver diseases worldwide. Objectives: In Italy, a mandatory vaccination policy was introduced in 1991 and was established for all newborns and 12-year-old individuals. In 2004, vaccination of 12-yearold adolescents was discontinued, and that of infants was maintained. Patients and Methods: We evaluated the seroprevalence of HBV markers in 806 individuals, who were vaccinated at birth or at 12 years of age, to assess the effectiveness of the national policy against HBV. Results: The overall prevalence of anti-HBs antibodies was 90.32% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 88.28-92.36%); 2.23% (95% CI: 1.21-3.25%) of the subjects were positive for both antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) and antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), whereas 5.83% (95% CI 4.21-7.45) of the subjects were negative for all markers tested. Further, 1.61% (95% CI: 0.74-2.48%) of the subjects were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Conclusions: Our data provide additional evidence that HBV vaccination can confer long-term immunity when performed at birth and when performed for healthy adolescents; moreover, the results show the effectiveness of the application of a national vaccination strategy
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