title: HBsAg carriers among blood donors in Italy--a multicentre study in 107 blood banks.
abstract: We investigated the incidence of HBsAg carriers among blood donors from 107 Italian blood banks during 1986. The overall prevalence of HBsAg carriers was 1.98%. This percentage was higher in Southern (2.69%) than in Northern (1.78%) or Central Italy (0.83%). Notable differences were found in the various regions and in single centres belonging to the same region. In some small areas a prevalence of carriers as high as 10% was recorded. Most carriers had normal aminotransferase values, HBeAg was detected in 8.8% of the carriers and anti-delta in 2.9% of them. The figures from this study still suggest a persistence of an intermediate endemicity level of HBV infection in Italy, with some hyperendemic niches.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Malatie Infettive, Facoltà di Medicina, Osp. Gesù e Maria, Napoli.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giusti
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gaeta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bedarida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001771:Blood Banks; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens