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The seroepidemiology of varicella in Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2001

G. GABUTTI ,
C. PENNA ,
M. ROSSI ,
S. SALMASO ,
M. C. ROTA ,
A. BELLA  and
P. CROVARI
G. GABUTTI
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine Section, University of Genoa, Italy Laboratory of Hygiene, Department of Biology, University of Lecce, Italy
C. PENNA
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine Section, University of Genoa, Italy
M. ROSSI
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine Section, University of Genoa, Italy
S. SALMASO
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
M. C. ROTA
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
A. BELLA
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
P. CROVARI
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine Section, University of Genoa, Italy
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Abstract

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We conducted a seroepidemiological study to evaluate the potential impact of mass varicella vaccination on the transmission of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in Italy, where vaccination is not mandatory. We tested 3179 serum samples, collected from September 1996 to October 1997, for specific anti-VZV antibodies using a commercially available ELISA. The results confirmed that varicella typically involves children (82·1% seroprevalence among 10- to 14-year-olds) and that the mean age of acquiring the infection seems to be increasing. The results also revealed that southern Italy, compared to the rest of the country, has a greater circulation of VZV and an earlier age of acquisition. The potential impact of mass vaccination among 12- to 18-month-old children on the epidemiological trend of the infection must be carefully considered, in that failure to reach high levels of coverage could lead to an increase in the mean age of acquisition, which is already occurring in Italy.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 126 , Issue 3 , June 2001 , pp. 433 - 440
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press