title: Hepatitis B in health workers in Italy.
abstract: In Italy, a vaccination campaign against hepatitis B was launched in 1985. It was strongly recommended for health care workers. Over the period 1986-91 the incidence rate of acute B hepatitis in the general population declined from 12/100,000 in 1986 to 5/100,000 in 1991. The corresponding figures among hospital workers were 42.5/100,000 (RR 3.5; 95% CI 2.55-4.92) in 1986 and 14.5/100,000 (RR 2.9; 95% CI 2.03-4.14) in 1991, respectively. The proportion of HBV cases with jaundice was about the same in the general population (77.6%) and in the health care staff (74.2%). Nearly 6% of hospital workers cases had completed the schedule of HBV vaccine. Despite the fact that vaccination against HBV has been strongly recommended for hospital workers, the incidence of infection in this job category has continued to be higher than that in the general population, probably as a consequence of poor vaccine coverage. These findings reiterate the need for aggressive vaccination programmes in hospital workers.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galanti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moiraghi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Novaco
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marzolini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
mesh_terms: D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007565:Jaundice / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines