Immigration and hepatitis B virus: epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects

ABSTRACT

This study in Italy aimed to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of hepatitis B virus [HBV] infection in a population of recent [< 6 months] immigrants. Between February 2003 and December 2004, 83 [9.3%] out of 890 immigrants tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. All were men and 62.6% came from Africa, 21.6% from Asia and 16.8% from Eastern Europe. About half [54.3%] of the patients had elevated alanine aminotransferase levels and detectable serum HBV DNA. Genotype distribution was as follows E [20 cases], D [14 cases] and A [11 cases]. Our study underscores the potential of migratory flow to introduce genotype non-D hepatitis B virus into our country