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The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on November 2, 2009
The European Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckp168
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Short Report

Patterns of chronic hepatitis B in Central Italy: a cross-sectional study

Paola Piccolo1, Ilaria Lenci1, Claudia Telesca1, Daniele Di Paolo1, Franco Bandiera2, Luigi De Melia3, Orazio Sorbello3, Giuseppina Renier4, Giovanni L. Ricci5, Lorenzo Nosotti6, Mario Romano7, Adriano De Santis5, Massimo Levrero5, Giorgio Antonucci8, Maria Antonella Longo8, Brigida E. Annicchiarico9, Mario Angelico1 and for the Hep B Free Network Investigators{dagger}

1 Hepatology Unit, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
2 SS. Annunziata General Hospital, Sassari, Italy
3 Cagliari University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy
4 Carbonia General Hospital, Carbonia, Italy
5 La Sapienza University Hospital, Rome, Italy
6 S. Gallicano General Hospital, Rome, Italy
7 Pertini General Hospital, Rome, Italy
8 Spallanzani National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Rome, Italy
9 Catholic University Hospital, Rome, Italy

Correspondence: Paola Piccolo, MD PhD, Hepatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1 00133 Rome, Italy, tel/fax: +39 06 72596803, e-mail: paola.piccolo{at}uniroma2.it

Received April 30, 2009 , accepted September 22, 2009

We investigated the patterns of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related disease in a large cohort of HBsAg-positive patients, in Central Italy, by collecting a screening form with demographic, clinical and laboratory data. Overall, 737 HBsAg-positive cases were included (70% male; median age 52 years): 30% were inactive HBsAg carriers, 51% had chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 19% had HBV-related cirrhosis. Patients from non-European Union (EU) countries (n = 65) were significantly younger, had a higher prevalence of HBeAg-positive infection and hepatitis delta virus (HDV) co-infection than patients of Italian origin. Therefore, as immigration from non-EU countries continues to grow, we can expect a change in the landscape of HBV-related disease in our area.

Keywords: HBV DNA, HCV co-infection, HDV co-infection, hepatitis B virus, inactive HBsAg carrier.

{dagger} Hep B Free Network Investigators are listed in the Acknowledgements


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