INCIDENCE OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-INFECTION AMONG AN ITALIAN MILITARY POPULATION - EVIDENCE OF LOW INFECTION SPREAD

In 1990, a prospective serological survey to estimate the rate of clin ical and inapparent infection with hepatitis B virus was performed in a cohort of 1324 soldiers, 18-24 years old, during an eight month peri od in Italy. At the time of enrollment the prevalence of hepatitis B m arkers was 4.6% (0.7% subjects positive for hepatitis B surface antige n [HBsAg], 3.0% positive for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [ anti-HBs], and 0.9% positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen [anti-HBc] alone. Among the 1263 susceptible subjects who were followe d-up, only 2 (0.24/100 person-years of exposure) had seroconversion fo r HBV markers, none of which was associated with clinical illness. Amo ng the 9 subjects HBsAg-positive at the time of enrollment, 1(11.2%) h ad lost HBsAg at the end of follow-up. These data show a low spread of HBV infection among Italian young generations.