Characteristics of patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver diseases just before the era of oral direct-acting antiviral therapy in Italy.

Background: In 2017, oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection became available free of charge for all HCV-RNA-positive patients, irrespective of their fibrosis stage.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of HCV-related chronic liver disease (CLD) in Italy just before the introduction of DAA therapy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with CLD were enrolled in two national surveys conducted in 2001 and in 2014.

The use of nonselective beta blockers is a risk factor for portal vein thrombosis in cirrhotic patients.

Background/aim: A reduction in portal vein inflow velocity seems to predispose to the emergence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Nonselective β-blockers (NSBBs), used to prevent variceal bleeding, may increase the development of PVT by reducing portal vein inflow velocity. In this retrospective case-control study, we evaluated the risk factors and clinical features of a first event of PVT in 130 cirrhotics, 19 (15%) with (PVT group) and 111 (85%) without PVT (non-PVT group).

Hepatitis B virus reactivation during direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection might pose a risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients coinfected with chronic or resolved HBV infection. The need for HBV antiviral prophylaxis during DAA treatment remains controversial. We aimed to analyse the absolute risk of HBV reactivation in patients with active or resolved HBV infection treated with DAAs for HCV infection.

Effects of treatment with Maraviroc a CCR5 inhibitor on a human hepatic stellate cell line.

After an acute liver damage, tissue regeneration repairs lesions with degradation of deposed fibrotic material, while mechanisms of tissue restoration are persistently activated following several repeated injuries, inducing deposition of extracellular matrix. (ECM). Factors responsible for ECM remodeling have been identified in a pathway involving a family of zinc-dependent enzyme matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), together with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs).

Virological patterns of HCV patients with failure to interferon-free regimens.

The study characterized the virological patterns and the resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) in patients with failure to IFN-free regimens enrolled in the real-life setting. All 87 consecutive HCV patients with failed IFN-free regimens, observed at the laboratory of the University of Campania, were enrolled. All patients had been treated with DAA regimens according to the HCV genotype, international guidelines, and local availability.

Clinical Findings of HCV Chronic Infection in Undocumented Immigrants and Low-Income Refugees in Three Areas of Southern Italy.

Introduction And Aim: In recent decades, Italy has become a land of immigration from countries suffering a socio-economic crisis. The aim of this study was to perform an organized screening to identify and offer care to immigrants with HCV infection.

Material And Methods: The screening, performed from 2012 to 2015, involved 1,727 immigrants in the Campania and Apulia regions in southern Italy.

Treatment of acute hepatitis C: recommendations from an expert panel of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases.

Aim: This paper is aimed at providing practical recommendations for the management of acute hepatitis C (AHC).

Methods: This is an expert position paper based on the literature revision. Final recommendations were graded by level of evidence and strength of the recommendations.

Suture thread check test for detection of surgical site contamination: a prospective study.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication of surgical procedures.

Aim: Our study aimed at investigating a new method based on assessment of suture thread colonization to identify patients developing an SSI.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively enrolled 119 patients undergoing elective surgery.

Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes and Subtypes in the Metropolitan Area of Naples, Italy, in the Era of Interferon-Free Regimens.

Aims: The objective of this work was to study the distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and subtypes from 2010 to 2015 in 1,221 anti-HCV/HCV-RNA-positive specimens from patients living in the metropolitan area of Naples, since HCV genotypes and subtypes remain cornerstones in the management of chronic HCV infection even in the directly acting antivirals era.

Methods: The study was carried out on 1,221 anti-HCV/HCV-RNA-positive plasma samples collected between April 2010 and December 2015.

Results: Of the 1,221 patients enrolled, 633 (51.

Gender differences in chronic liver diseases in two cohorts of 2001 and 2014 in Italy.

Background: Gender differences in chronic liver disease (CLD) have been partially investigated. To extend the present knowledge, we evaluated 12,263 patients with CLD enrolled in two national surveys (9997 in 2001 and 2557 in 2014).

Methods: The two surveys prospectively recruited patients aged ≥ 18 referring to Italian liver units throughout the country using a similar clinical approach and analytical methods.

Epidemiology and risk factors for hepatitis C virus genotypes in a high prevalence region in Italy.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is globally widespread. Southern Italy is a high prevalence region where the distribution of the HCV genotypes (GTs) is changing. Intravenous drug abuse is the only risk factor associated with a specific HCV GT (GT3).

An update on the treatment options for HBV/HCV coinfection.

Despite the reciprocal inhibition exerted by HBV and HCV genomes, dual HBV/HCV infection is associated with more severe forms of liver disease and warrant effective treatment. Areas covered: A careful evaluation of disease progression to establish the predominance of one virus over another, concomitant HIV infection and comorbidities is essential to make the best therapy choices. In most virological conditions interferon (IFN)-based treatment has been replaced by a combination of different classes of second generation directly acting antivirals (DAAs), which offer better tolerability and HCV eradication in 95% of cases.

Eighteen-month lamivudine prophylaxis on preventing occult hepatitis B virus infection reactivation in patients with haematological malignancies receiving immunosuppression therapy.

This study evaluated the long-term efficacy and safety of an 18-month lamivudine prophylaxis in 68 HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients with oncohaematological disease. All 68 consecutive HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients with an oncohaematological disease and naïve for chemotherapy observed from April 2008 to December 2012 at 2 Hematology Units in Naples were treated with lamivudine for 18 months after stopping chemotherapy and monitored for HBsAg at months 1 and 3 during chemotherapy and then every 3 months after its discontinuation. During follow-up, 13 (19.

Cannabinoid receptor 2-63 RR variant is independently associated with severe necroinflammation in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.

Objective: This is the first study to analyze the impact of the rs35761398 variant of the CNR2 gene leading to the substitution of GLN (Q) of codon 63 of the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) with ARG (R) on the clinical presentation of chronic hepatitis in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.

Methods: Enrolled in this study were 166 consecutive HIV/HCV coinfected patients, naïve for HCV treatment. A pathologist unaware of the patients' condition graded liver fibrosis, necroinflammation (Ishak) and steatosis.

Recommendations for screening, monitoring, prevention, prophylaxis and therapy of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with haematologic malignancies and patients who underwent haematologic stem cell transplantation-a position paper.

Scope: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection reactivation is associated with high morbidity and mortality in patients with haematologic malignancy and/or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, information on this issue is limited. The scope of this position paper is to provide recommendations on HBV screening, monitoring, prophylaxis, treatment and vaccination in the patients described above.

Hepatitis A virus strains circulating during 1997-2015 in Campania, a Southern Italy region with periodic outbreaks.

In Italy, the incidence of hepatitis A has progressively declined over the last 30 years, though not homogeneously throughout the country. In Campania, Southern Italy, high annual incidence rates have been reported and several periodic outbreaks have occurred. To investigate the phylogenetic and epidemiologic relationships among HAV strains circulating in Campania over the period 1997-2015, 87 hepatitis A cases were investigated.

Influence of universal HBV vaccination on chronic HBV infection in Italy: Results of a cross-sectional multicenter study.

Background And Aim: The universal hepatitis B vaccination for infants and 12-year-old adolescents (the latter limited to the first 12 years of application) was launched in Italy in 1991. Twenty-three years later we evaluated the impact of the vaccination campaign on the burden of HBsAg-positive chronic liver diseases (CLD).

Material And Methods: A total of 513 HBsAg-positive chronic carriers referring to 16 Italian liver units were investigated and compared with HBsAg carriers enrolled in previous surveys.

Etiological factors of chronic hepatitis in Italy: a 2014 national survey.

Background: The last Italian prevalence survey on chronic hepatitis (CH) conducted in 2001 showed that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was the main agent associated with CH.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological changes in CH occurring after 13 years.

Patients And Methods: Enrollment of 1392 CH consecutive patients referred to 16 Italian liver units in 2014 scattered all over the country (four in the North, four in the Center, four in the South, and four in the Islands) was performed.

Lowered expression of microRNA-125a-5p in human hepatocellular carcinoma and up-regulation of its oncogenic targets sirtuin-7, matrix metalloproteinase-11, and c-Raf.

Human microRNA-125a-5p (miR-125a) is expressed in most tissues where it downregulates the expression of membrane receptors or intracellular transductors of mitogenic signals, thus limiting cell proliferation. Expression of this miRNA generally increases with cell differentiation whereas it is downregulated in several types of tumors, such as breast, lung, ovarian, gastric, colon, and cervical cancers, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, glioblastoma, and retinoblastoma. In this study, we focused on hepatocellular carcinoma and used real-time quantitative PCR to measure miR-125a expression in 55 tumor biopsies and in matched adjacent non-tumor liver tissues.

Hepatitis B virus infection in undocumented immigrants and refugees in Southern Italy: demographic, virological, and clinical features.

Background: The data on hepatitis b virus (HBV) infection in immigrants population are scanty. The porpoise of this study was to define the demographic, virological, and clinical characteristics of subjects infected with HBV chronic infection in a cohort of immigrants living in Naples, Italy.

Methods: A screening for HBV infection was offered to 1,331 immigrants, of whom 1,212 (91%) (831 undocumented immigrants and 381 refugees) accepted and were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis B core antibody (HBc).

ITPase activity modulates the severity of anaemia in HCV-related cirrhosis treated with ribavirin-containing interferon-free regimens.

Background: To investigate the association between inosine triphosphatase (ITPase) activity and the degree of anaemia occurring during direct-acting antiviral (DAA)/ribavirin (RBV)-based therapy in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods: In a multicentre, prospective study 227 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis treated with DAA and RBV were enrolled. All patients were screened for the rs1127354 and rs7270101 ITPA single nucleotide polymorphisms using direct sequencing.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers at a hospital in Naples, Italy, a low-incidence country.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk than the general population of contracting tuberculosis (TB). Moreover, although subjects with latent TB infection (LTBI) are asymptomatic and are not infectious, they may eventually develop active disease. Thus, a fundamental tool of TB control programs for HCWs is the screening and treatment of LTBI.