title: Chronic hepatitis B in Italy: new features of an old disease--approaching the universal prevalence of hepatitis B e antigen-negative cases and the eradication of hepatitis D infection.
abstract: We evaluated 1336 hepatitis B surface antigen-positive subjects consecutively observed in 79 Italian hospitals over a 6-month period. The proportion of hepatitis B e antigen-negative cases was 86.4%, that of patients coinfected with hepatitis D virus was 9.7%, and the rate of patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus was 16.8%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age >49 years, alcohol abuse, and anti-hepatitis D virus and anti-hepatitis C virus positivity were independent predictors of progression to liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. evangelista.sagnelli@unina2.it
authors.forename: Evangelista
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sagnelli
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imparato
authors.forename: Piero L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Almasio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019701:Hepatitis D, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens