Zanella Beatrice, Boccalini Sara, Biamonte Massimiliano Alberto, Giorgetti Duccio, Menicacci Marco, Bonito Benedetta, Ninci Alessandra, Tiscione Emilia, Puggelli Francesco, Mereu Giovanna, Bonanni Paolo, Bechini Angela
Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Medical Specialization School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.
Vaccines (Basel). 2021 Oct 17;9(10):1194. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9101194.
: Italy is considered an area with very low HAV (hepatitis A virus) endemicity. Currently in Italy the anti-HAV vaccine is recommended only for specific risk groups and there is no universal vaccination program. The aim of this study was to assess the level of immunity against hepatitis A in a sample of children and adolescents from the province of Florence. : A total of 165 sera were collected from subjects aged 1 to 18 years, proportionally selected according to the general population size and stratified by age and sex. A qualitative evaluation of anti-HAV antibodies was performed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anamnestic and vaccination status data were also collected. : Our study showed a hepatitis A seroprevalence of 9.1% in the enrolled population. A statistically significant difference in the prevalence of anti-HAV was found between Italian and non-Italian subjects. About half of the population having anti-HAV antibodies was reported to be vaccinated, and no cases of hepatitis A were found. : The data from our study confirmed Tuscany as an area with low HAV endemicity and showed that hepatitis A seroprevalence is significantly higher in foreign children and adolescents. The presence of more seropositive subjects than those vaccinated was probably due to a natural immunization achieved through a subclinical infection and/or to underreporting of the surveillance systems.
意大利被认为是甲型肝炎病毒（HAV）流行率极低的地区。目前在意大利，抗甲型肝炎疫苗仅推荐给特定风险群体，且没有全民疫苗接种计划。本研究的目的是评估佛罗伦萨省儿童和青少年样本中甲型肝炎的免疫水平。
共收集了165份1至18岁受试者的血清，根据总体人口规模按比例选取，并按年龄和性别分层。使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）对抗甲型肝炎抗体进行定性评估。还收集了既往史和疫苗接种状况数据。
我们的研究显示，纳入人群中甲型肝炎血清流行率为9.1%。在意大利和非意大利受试者之间，抗甲型肝炎抗体的流行率存在统计学上的显著差异。据报告，约一半有抗甲型肝炎抗体的人群接种过疫苗，且未发现甲型肝炎病例。
我们研究的数据证实托斯卡纳是甲型肝炎低流行地区，并表明外国儿童和青少年的甲型肝炎血清流行率显著更高。血清学阳性受试者比接种疫苗者更多，这可能是由于通过亚临床感染实现了自然免疫和/或监测系统报告不足。
