title: Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus infection in undocumented migrants and refugees in southern Italy, January 2012 to June 2013.
abstract: Screening of undocumented migrants or refugees for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections has been offered free of charge and free from bureaucratic procedures since 2012 at four primary-level clinical centres in Naples and Caserta, Italy. Of 926 undocumented migrants and refugees visiting one of the primary-level clinical centres from January 2012 to June 2013, 882 (95%) were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), total hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and antibodies against HCV and HIV. Of the 882 individuals enrolled, 78 (9%) were HBsAg positive, 35 (4%) anti-HCV positive and 11 (1%) anti-HIV positive (single infections); seven (1%) had more than one infection (three were HBsAg positive). Of the 801 HBsAg-negative patients, 373 (47%) were anti-HBc positive. The HBsAg-positivity rate was high (14%; 62/444) in individuals from sub-Saharan Africa and intermediate in those from eastern Europe (6%; 12/198), northern Africa (2%; 2/80) and Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (the 'India-Pakistan area') (3%; 4/126). Anti-HCV was detected in 9/126 (7%) individuals originating from the India-Pakistan area, in 12/198 (6%) from eastern Europe, in 17/444 (4%) from sub-Saharan and in 2/80 (2%) from northern Africa. The HBV, HCV and HIV infections in the undocumented migrants and refugees screened serve as a reminder to the Italian healthcare authorities to carry out extensive screening and educational programmes for these populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alessio
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gualdieri
authors.forename: Mariantonietta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pisaturo
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sagnelli
authors.forename: Nunzio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Caprio
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maffei
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Starace
authors.forename: Italo Francesco
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Angelillo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasquale
authors.forename: Evangelista
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sagnelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D005838:Genotype; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012036:Refugees; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
keywords: HIV infection; chronic HBV infection; chronic HCV infection; irregular immigrants; refugees