HBV molecular epidemiology and clinical condition of immigrants living in Italy

• Published in: Infection Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 523 - 531
• Main Authors: Sagnelli, Caterina, Ciccozzi, Massimo, Alessio, Loredana, Cella, Eleonora, Gualdieri, Luciano, Pisaturo, Mariantonietta, Minichini, Carmine, Di Caprio, Giovanni, Starace, Mario, Onorato, Lorenzo, Capoprese, Mara, Occhiello, Laura, Angeletti, Silvia, Scotto, Gaetano, Macera, Margherita, Sagnelli, Evangelista, Coppola, Nicola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Cirrhosis; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diagnostic systems; DNA; DNA, Viral; Emigrants and Immigrants; Epidemiology; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B - immunology; Hepatitis B - virology; Hepatitis B surface antigen; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B virus - classification; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Hepatitis B virus - immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - virology; Humans; Immigrants; Infectious Diseases; Internal Medicine; Italy - epidemiology; Liver cirrhosis; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Molecular biology; Molecular chains; Molecular Epidemiology; Noncitizens; Original Paper; Phylogeny; Population Surveillance; Risk Factors; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Vaccination; Viral Load; Young Adult; Italy; HBV genotype; Undocumented immigrants; Genetic variability; Chronic HBV infection; Phenotypic variation; Hepatitis B virus; Refugees
• ISSN: 0300-8126; 1439-0973; 1439-0973
• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-018-1153-1

Introduction We investigated 170 HBsAg-positive immigrants living in Italy for 1–7 years to ascertain whether they may have become infected in the host country. Methods Of 2032 adult immigrants interviewed, 1727 (85%) voluntarily adhered to a screening program for bloodborne or sexually transmitted infections. HBsAg was detected in 170 (9.8%) screened immigrants who completed the diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic process at the nearest clinic of infectious diseases. HBV molecular biology was performed applying a homemade technology. Phylogenetic signal of the datasets was obtained by a likelihood-mapping analysis using TreePuzzle. Results Of the 170 HBsAg-positive immigrants, 133 were inactive carriers, 29 had chronic hepatitis and 8 compensated cirrhosis. HBV genotype was identified in 109 of the 113 HBV-DNA-positive immigrants and HBV-genotype-E predominated (68.9%). Of these 109, 6 (5.5%) subjects showed an HBV genotype absent or extremely rare in their native country: HBV-genotype-E in three from Eastern Europe and in one from Sri Lanka, possibly acquired from other immigrants from sub-Saharan countries, HBV-genotype-D1 in one from Burkina Faso and one from Senegal, possibly acquired in Italy. Conclusion The data suggest that immigrants may acquire HBV infection in Italy and, therefore, HBV vaccination programs should be extended to all immigrants living in Italy.