Vaccination policy against hepatitis A in Italy.
In Italy, improved sanitation and living conditions have led to a decline in the rate of hepatitis A infection among children generating an increasing proportion of adults susceptible to this virus. Shellfish consumption is a major source of infection while person to person transmission is important in the spread of infection and in the maintenance of outbreaks. Thus prevention of secondary HAV infection is a crucial point. A randomised controlled trial of hepatitis A vaccine in household contacts of people with sporadic HAV infection in Italy has shown a protective efficacy of 82% (CI 20-96%). The two secondary infections in the vaccine group were symptomless, suggesting that the disease expression may be weaker in vaccinated subjects.
Laboratory of Epidemiology - I.S.S., Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Stroffolini
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Mele
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Sagliocca
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006291:Health Policy; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014611:Vaccination
D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines