title: [The significance of the isolated anti-HBc carrier. A study of 1797 drug addicts. The Intersert Group of Scientific Collaboration].
abstract: From 1985 through 1992 the following hepatitis B markers HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were evaluated in 1797 injecting drug users (IDUs) attending 8 Centers for drug addicts in the Veneto region (north-east Italy). Among all IDUs, 1004 (56%) proved to be positive for at least one of the above markers. In particular our aim was to study the carriers of only anti-HBc. At entry, among these 1004 IDUs, 294 (29%) showed only the anti-HBc; 141 IDUs of them have been followed for a period of time: 77% remained without any marker change and 23% showed the appearance of anti-HBs. Subsequently, other 75 IDUs became carrier only of the anti HBc, for the following reasons: loss of anti-HBs (57%) or HBsAg (15%) appearance only of anti-HBc (28%). No carrier of only anti-HBc seroconverted for HBsAg. The evaluation of our data supports the hypothesis that the carrier status of the only anti-HBc prevents from reinfection by HBV and therefore these subjects do not need vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica, Università, Verona.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mezzelani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quaglio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lugoboni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D013287:Illicit Drugs
vernacular_title: Significato del portatore dell'anti-HBc isolato. Studio in 1797 tossicodipendenti. Gruppo Intersert di Collaborazione Scientifica.