Low prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies among Italian Air Force recruits

In 1990, the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) was assessed among 4,978 Air Force recruits aged 18-26 years coming from all regions of Italy. Positivity to anti-HCV was found by both IIIrd generation EIA and RIBA in 24 (0.48%) study participants. The prevalence was twice as high in Southern Italy and the islands as in Northern and Central Italy (0.76% vs. 0.35%), a difference which was not statistically significant. The results of multiple logistic regression showed that no sociodemographic variable (region of birth, father's years of education, number of siblings) was associated with anti-HCV positivity. No anti-HCV-positive individual was positive for HBsAg. Anti-HCV positivity was found in 0.8% (2/236) of the participants who were positive for anti-HBc and in 0.5% (22/4742) of those who were anti-HBc negative, also a difference which was not statistically significant. Thus no association was found between HCV and HBV infections. These findings indicate that in Italy, HCV infection is an uncommon event among young adult males.