Prevalence of hepatitis A among drug users in north-eastern Italy: Is vaccination necessary in low prevalence areas?

Fabio Lugoboni; Gianluca Quaglio; Benedetta Pajusco; Maurizio Foroni; Gianstefano Blengio; Giorgio Talamini; Paolo Mezzelani; Don C. Des Jarlais

doi:10.1093/eurpub/cki145

Prevalence of hepatitis A among drug users in north-eastern Italy: Is vaccination necessary in low prevalence areas?

Fabio Lugoboni, Gianluca Quaglio, Benedetta Pajusco, Maurizio Foroni, Gianstefano Blengio, Giorgio Talamini, Paolo Mezzelani, Don C. Des Jarlais

Global Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The authors report on the prevalence of, and risk factors for, hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a group of drug users in Italy. Methods: 404 heroin users were recruited and compared with a control group of 107 subjects in the general population. Results: Drug users born in north-eastern Italy have a prevalence of anti-HAV similar to the control group. A much higher prevalence was found in drug users born in southern Italy. Conclusion: The similar prevalence of anti-HAV in drug users born in north-eastern Italy and in the general population, suggests that their lifestyle does not involve a substantial additional risk of HAV. The much higher prevalence found in drug users born in southern Italy is more likely to be related to infection during infancy.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	464-466
Number of pages	3
Journal	European Journal of Public Health
Volume	15
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cki145
State	Published - Oct 2005

Keywords

HAV infection
HAV vaccination
Heroin users

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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10.1093/eurpub/cki145

Cite this

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title = "Prevalence of hepatitis A among drug users in north-eastern Italy: Is vaccination necessary in low prevalence areas?",

abstract = "Background: The authors report on the prevalence of, and risk factors for, hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a group of drug users in Italy. Methods: 404 heroin users were recruited and compared with a control group of 107 subjects in the general population. Results: Drug users born in north-eastern Italy have a prevalence of anti-HAV similar to the control group. A much higher prevalence was found in drug users born in southern Italy. Conclusion: The similar prevalence of anti-HAV in drug users born in north-eastern Italy and in the general population, suggests that their lifestyle does not involve a substantial additional risk of HAV. The much higher prevalence found in drug users born in southern Italy is more likely to be related to infection during infancy.",

keywords = "HAV infection, HAV vaccination, Heroin users",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence of hepatitis A among drug users in north-eastern Italy

T2 - Is vaccination necessary in low prevalence areas?

AU - Lugoboni, Fabio

AU - Quaglio, Gianluca

AU - Pajusco, Benedetta

AU - Foroni, Maurizio

AU - Blengio, Gianstefano

AU - Talamini, Giorgio

AU - Mezzelani, Paolo

AU - Des Jarlais, Don C.

PY - 2005/10

Y1 - 2005/10

N2 - Background: The authors report on the prevalence of, and risk factors for, hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a group of drug users in Italy. Methods: 404 heroin users were recruited and compared with a control group of 107 subjects in the general population. Results: Drug users born in north-eastern Italy have a prevalence of anti-HAV similar to the control group. A much higher prevalence was found in drug users born in southern Italy. Conclusion: The similar prevalence of anti-HAV in drug users born in north-eastern Italy and in the general population, suggests that their lifestyle does not involve a substantial additional risk of HAV. The much higher prevalence found in drug users born in southern Italy is more likely to be related to infection during infancy.

AB - Background: The authors report on the prevalence of, and risk factors for, hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a group of drug users in Italy. Methods: 404 heroin users were recruited and compared with a control group of 107 subjects in the general population. Results: Drug users born in north-eastern Italy have a prevalence of anti-HAV similar to the control group. A much higher prevalence was found in drug users born in southern Italy. Conclusion: The similar prevalence of anti-HAV in drug users born in north-eastern Italy and in the general population, suggests that their lifestyle does not involve a substantial additional risk of HAV. The much higher prevalence found in drug users born in southern Italy is more likely to be related to infection during infancy.

KW - HAV infection

KW - HAV vaccination

KW - Heroin users

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Prevalence of hepatitis A among drug users in north-eastern Italy: Is vaccination necessary in low prevalence areas?

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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