title: Epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in non-institutionalized children and adolescents affected by handicap.
abstract: The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers in a population of non-institutionalized handicapped 1-19-year-old patients. Thirty-six out of 70 patients lived in southern Italy and 19 were affected by Down's syndrome. Only three (4.2%) were positive for anti-HBc (one of these also for anti-HBs) and none for HBsAg. Low prevalence seems to indicate that no particular anti-HBV vaccination strategy is to be considered on this subset of population and on their contacts. Serum prevalence of HBV among nurses and other members of personnel was 11.3%.
authors.affiliation: Adolescent Medicine Service, Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Palidoro, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Ciommo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrario
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi De Gasperi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Marchis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albertini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens