Prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies in Italy.

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.

Prevalence of hepatitis B markers in Italy.

Among 5005 Navy recruits aged 18-26 years from all sections of Italy, whose blood was tested in 1981, regional prevalence of serologic markers for hepatitis B was higher in southern Italy and in the Italian islands as compared with northern Italy and central Italy (4.3% vs. 2.3% for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 23.5% vs. 10.5% for any B marker). Social-demographic variables such as region, family size, and education were associated with hepatitis B as were the more traditionally associated variables related to blood or medical care such as history of intravenous injection, history of blood transfusion, or exposure to hospital. Number of siblings was positively related and educational attainment inversely related to prevalence of hepatitis B markers. The prevalence of HBsAg among Italian males aged 18-26 years with residence in southern Italy or in the Italian islands, whose education was limited to lower middle school, and who were from a family of eight siblings or more, is 14.6%. These are among the highest prevalence rates for hepatitis B antigen ever reported for a general population group in Europe. Good correlation exists between incidence of reported cases of hepatitis and prevalence of markers in the different regions of Italy.