6533b7cffe1ef96bd125987e

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Low prevalence of anti-HCV antibody among Italian children

Maria ChiaramonteMaria Elisa MoschenA.r. ZanettiB. ScarpaTommaso StroffoliniLuisa RomanòAntonio AzaraAnna GiammancoDonatella Mattia

subject

MaleMicrobiology (medical)Pediatricsmedicine.medical_specialtyAdolescentHepacivirusAnti hcv antibodyAge DistributionSeroepidemiologic StudiesPrevalenceHumansMedicineSeroprevalenceHepatitis AntibodiesSex DistributionChildbiologybusiness.industryGeneral MedicineHepatitis C AntibodiesExact testInfectious DiseasesItalyChild PreschoolPopulation SurveillanceLinear Modelsbiology.proteinFemaleAntibodybusinessDemography

description

The seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibody was studied among 2,749 children and teenagers (1,438 males and 1,311 females) living in Italy. Anti-HCV antibody testing was positive by both EIA and RIBA in ten (0.36%) subjects. The positivity rate increased with age, ranging from 0 among children less than 6 years of age to 0.8% among those aged 17-19 years chi 2 linear regression = 0.038). Anti-HCV prevalence ranged from 0.2% in northeastern regions and in Apulia to 0.6% in Sicily and Sardinia (p0.005), and no difference was seen between males (0.35%, C.I. 95%: 0.04-0.66) and females (0.38%, C.I. 95%: 0.04-0.66) (Fisher's exact test = 0.565). From these data it appears that in Italy HCV infection is an uncommon event during childhood.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
1994-09-01Infection
https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01715545