title: Epidemiology of viral hepatitis infections in an area of southern Italy with high incidence rates of liver cancer.
abstract: Southern Italy shows the highest rates of liver cancer for Europe, mainly related to infection with hepatitis viruses. We thus described incidence rates of liver cancer and investigated prevalence and determinants of HCV and HBV infections in 4496 individuals randomly selected from the general population of the province of Naples. 7.5% was infected with HCV and 27.6% with HBV (2.2% was HBsAg-positive). Prevalence of both infections increased with age, 23.2% of those aged 65 years or older was HCV-positive and 47.9% were HBV-positive. Intravenous drug use (odds ratio (OR)=16.4 for anti-HCV and 4.7 for anti-HBc), history of blood transfusions (OR=2.8 and 1.5, respectively) and surgery, and household contacts with infected people (OR=2.1 and 1.6, respectively) increased risks for both infections. Sexual intercourse with HCV-positive individuals conveyed a 3-fold higher risk of HCV infection. This study quantified the spread of HCV and HBV in the population of southern Italy heavily affected by liver cancer.
authors.affiliation: Registro Tumori della Regione Campania, ASL NA4 Brusciano, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: Pierluca
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piselli
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palombino
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polesel
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maione
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scognamiglio
authors.forename: Francesco Aurelio
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Pisanti
authors.forename: Mariacarmela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solmone
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Cicco
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serraino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution