Hepatitis E virus and hepatitis A virus exposures in an apparently healthy high-risk population in Italy

• Published in: Infection Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 69 - 76
• Main Authors: Rapicetta, M., Monarca, R., Kondili, L. A., Chionne, P., Madonna, E., Madeddu, G., Soddu, A., Candido, A., Carbonara, S., Mura, M. S., Starnini, G., Babudieri, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Citizenship; Clinical and Epidemiological Study; Economic factors; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Hepatitis; Hepatitis A - epidemiology; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis A virus - immunology; Hepatitis Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis Antibodies - immunology; Hepatitis E - epidemiology; Hepatitis E virus - immunology; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Internal Medicine; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Population Surveillance; Regression analysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Socioeconomics; Young Adult; Italy; Inmates; Anti-HIV; Anti-HAV; Anti-HEV; Infection prevalence
• ISSN: 0300-8126; 1439-0973
• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-012-0385-8

Purpose The prevalence of anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV) and anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV), as well as the possible links with socio-demographic and other viral risks factors, were evaluated in an inmates population. Methods The study population consisted of 973 consecutively recruited inmates of eight Italian prisons. Results The anti-HEV prevalence was 11.6 % (113/973). It increased significantly by age (χ 2 for linear trend: p  = 0.001) and was significantly higher among non-Italian compared to Italian inmates (15.3 vs. 10.7 %, respectively). Age >40 years [odds ratio (OR) 2.1; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.4–3.1], non-Italian citizenship (OR 1.8; 95 % CI 1.1–2.9) and anti-HIV seropositivity (OR 2.2; 95 % CI 1.2–4.2) were the only factors independently associated to anti-HEV positivity by logistic regression analysis. The overall anti-HAV prevalence was 86.4 %, and was significantly higher in non-Italian compared to Italian prisoners (92.6 vs. 84.9 %, respectively; p  = 0.02). Age older than 40 years (OR 3.6; 95 % CI 2.2–5.9), <5 years formal education (OR 2.1; 95 % CI 1.3–3.2) and non-Italian nationality (OR 2.7; 95 % CI 1.5–4.8) were factors independently associated to anti-HAV positivity by the logistic regression analysis. Conclusions Compared to the general population, significantly higher anti-HEV and anti-HAV prevalences were observed in an inmates population in Italy. Old age and non-Italian nationality were factors independently related to both HEV and HAV exposures. This data suggest the important role of low socio-economic factors in the transmission of both infections in high-risk populations. The possible epidemiological and/or pathogenetic links between HEV and HIV exposures need to be studied further.