%0 Multicenter Study
%T Hepatitis D virus infection in a large cohort of immigrants in southern Italy: a multicenter, prospective study.
%A Pisaturo M
%A Alessio L
%A Di Fraia A
%A Macera M
%A Minichini C
%A Cordua E
%A Onorato L
%A Scotto G
%A Di Caprio G
%A Calò F
%A Sagnelli C
%A Coppola N
%J Infection
%V 50
%N 6
%D Dec 2022
%M 36222979
%F 7.455
%R 10.1007/s15010-022-01938-0
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Since few data are available in the literature on the prevalence of anti-Delta-positive subjects in immigrant populations, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the demographic and virological characteristics of HDV infection in a large cohort of immigrants living in southern Italy.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Between January 2012 and February 2020 all immigrants attending one of the 5 first- level centers were enrolled and screened for HBsAg, the HBsAg-positive for anti-Delta and if positive, for HDV-RNA and HDV genotype.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Of the 3521 immigrants observed in the study period, 3417 (97.0%) agreed to be screened; they were mainly males (61%), with a median age of 27 years (IQR 8-74) and came prevalently (58%) from sub-Saharan Africa. Of the 3417 patients enrolled, 319 (9%) subjects were HBsAg-positive, and of those, 8 (2.5%) were anti-Delta-positive. No difference in the demographic and epidemiological characteristics was observed between the anti-Delta-negative vs -positive. Of the 8 anti-Delta-positive subjects, only one was HDV-RNA-positive (viral load: 7050 IU/mL), genotype 1, with clinical signs of cirrhosis.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>the present study showed a prevalence of HDV of 2.5% in a large cohort of asymptomatic immigrants, suggesting the need for screening campaigns for viral infections including delta hepatitis in this population.