RESUMEN
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a feco-orally transmitted pathogen and one of the most common cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. Recent studies in developed countries suggested that a direct human-to-human contact such as for sexually transmitted diseases may play a significant role in the HEV spread. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of HEV and HAV in a group of MSM, including subjects HIV, and Treponema infected, in Milan, Italy. The overall anti HEV IgG seroprevalence in MSM was 10.2% (65/636), instead in the control group the detection rate was 5.2% (15/288) (P < 0.05); the anti HAV seroprevalence was 42.8% in MSM, when in the control group the positivity rate was 29.2% (P < 0.05). The rate of coinfection HEV/HAV was 14.6% in MSM and 1% in control group (P < 0.05). In the future, sexual history, HIV status, and STI risk might address specific investigations to prevent spread of pathogens such HEV in MSM, before becoming a substantial public health problem like for HAV outbreaks.
Asunto(s)
Hepatitis A/epidemiología , Anticuerpos Antihepatitis/sangre , Hepatitis E/epidemiología , Homosexualidad Masculina , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Coinfección/epidemiología , Infecciones por VIH/complicaciones , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina G/sangre , Italia/epidemiología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Seroepidemiológicos , Sífilis/complicaciones , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
A seroprevalence study for anti-West Nile virus-specific antibodies was carried out in healthy blood donors resident in the metropolitan area of Milan in two different years, 2009 and 2011. In 2009 no positive sera were found, whereas 5 positive sera were found in 2011, revealing viral circulation in this naive area. The seroprevalence rate identified in 2011 was 0.57%, suggesting that the area of WNV circulation in Italy is larger than that previously identified.