Abstract
In 1990–1991, the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus infection (anti-HAV) was assayed by the ELISA method among 1528 apparently healthy subjects, 20–85 years old in the Republic of San Marino. Subjects were selected from the list of residents by a random stratified sampling procedure with a proportional allocation by age, sex and district of residence. The overall anti-HAV prevalence was 64.7%; it increased from 28.6% in subjects 20–30 years old to 97% in those > 60 years (p < 0.01). No gender difference was observed. At the multivariate analysis age > 40 years (OR: 39.5; 95% CI: 12.4–126) and lowest level of schooling (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1–2.9), which is a good indirect indicator of socio-economic status, resulted both independent predictors of anti-HAV seroposi-tivity. These findings reflect the improved sanitation standards in this area and indicate that the proportion of non-immune adults is increasing with a higher risk of symptomatic infection in the near future.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hsu HV, Chang MH, Cen DS, Lee CV, Sung JL. Changing seroepidemiology of Hepatitis A virus infection in Taiwan. J Med Virol 1985; 17: 297–301.
Kremastinou J, Kalapothaky V, Trichopoulos D. The changing epidemiologic pattern of hepatitis A infection in urban Greece. Am J Epidemiol 1986; 120: 703–706.
Stroffolini T, Chiaramonte M, Franco E, et al. Baseline seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection among children and teenagers in Italy. Infection 1991; 19: 97–100.
Klinbaum DG, Kupper LL, Chambless LE. Logistic regression analysis of epidemiological data: Theory and practice. Commun Statist Theory Methods 1982; 11: 485–547.
Kahn HA, Sempos CT. Statistical methods in epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989: 56–58.
Melnick JL. History and epidemiology of hepatitis A virus. J Infec Dis 1995; 171: S2–8.
Shapiro CN, Margolis HS. Worldwide epidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection. J Hepatology 1993; 18: S11–14.
Stroffolini T, D'Amelio R, Matricardi PM, et al. The changing epidemiology of hepatitis A in Italy. Ital J Gastroenterol 1993; 25: 372–374.
Gasbarrini G, Pretolani S, Bonvicini F, et al. A population-based study of Helicobacter pylori infection in a European country; the San Marino study: Relations with gastrointestinal disease. GUT 1995; 36: 838–844.
Stroffolini T, Biagini W, Lorenzoni L, Palazzesi GP, Divizia M, Frongillo R. An outbreak of hepatitis A in young adults in Central Italy. Eur J Epidemiol. 1990; 6: 156–159.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stroffolini, T., Pretolani, S., Miglio, F. et al. Population-based survey of hepatitis A virus infection in the Republic of San Marino. Eur J Epidemiol 13, 687–689 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007395424474
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007395424474