Alarm among infectious disease specialists for rising hepatitis A: after the outbreak in Campania, other areas at risk for fecal contamination.

Cases of hepatitis A are increasing in Italy: raw seafood is under observation, but other modes of transmission are not excluded, including human-to-human transmission and hygiene deficiencies. This is communicated in a note by the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit), which urges vaccination especially for the most vulnerable individuals.

According to experts, the Campania outbreak may be closely related to the extreme weather phenomena of recent months, with heavy and prolonged winter rains that may have caused flooding and fecal contamination in some marine areas, leading to virus positivity in several batches of mollusks. However, new reports also concern Lazio, northern Calabria, and other areas of the peninsula. Although the consumption of raw shellfish remains the main suspect, Simit clarifies that the situation appears complex: not all patients report such consumption, suggesting a dynamic that may include human transmission and non-compliance with hygiene standards.

"It is necessary to avoid the consumption of raw seafood, properly cook shellfish and fish, wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and always and scrupulously respect hand hygiene, adhering to the guidelines of local health authorities," explains Giampieri D’Offizi, head of the Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit at Irccs Spallanzani in Rome. "Drinking water in Italy is not a risk factor thanks to control and purification systems."

Prevention is essential for the most vulnerable individuals. "Vaccination against hepatitis A remains a fundamental, safe, and effective tool to prevent infection and limit the spread of outbreaks, protect the most vulnerable people, and reduce the burden on the healthcare system," concludes Ivan Gentile, Director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the University of Naples "Federico II".