{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:21:55Z","timestamp":1787030515016,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Journal of Infection in Developing Countries","issue":"09","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,30]],"date-time":"2020-09-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1601424000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Infect Dev Ctries"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: We describe an outbreak of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) which evolved in Sassari (Italy), between January 2017 and December 2018, close to a contextual of large concurrent hepatitis A outbreak reported in Europe and recently, in Italy.\r\nMethodology: HAV RNA detection and molecular characterization was performed from serum samples and\/or stool by RT - PCR of VP1\/2A junction region that ranges from nt. 2,873 to nt. 3,376. The phylogenetic correlation of the circulating hepatitis A strains was assessed by sequencing method according to the HAVNET protocol.\r\nResults: 10 Acute Hepatitis A virus (AHA)-positive cases, 8 of which were among men who have sex with men (MSM) were identified. All patients were tested at the time of hospitalization for the presence of anti-HIV antibodies, only two MSM resulted co-infected by HIV. No differences were observed in median age (37 years vs. 41 years, P-value = 0.14), severity or duration of hospitalization between seropositive and HIV-negative men. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted in 2 cases and revealed two distinct sequences of genotype IA linking to clusters recognized in MSM in other European countries in 2016.\r\nConclusion: Our study reported a recent increase of notified hepatitis A cases attributable to cases in the European interconnectedness of MSM in Sassari, a small locality. Hepatitis A vaccination for MSM in Sardinia region is recommended; however, our data emphasize the need of hepatitis A screening and vaccination not only for MSM with occasional partners but also for those in monogamous relationships.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3855\/jidc.12184","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]],"date-time":"2020-10-06T17:03:59Z","timestamp":1602003839000},"page":"1065-1070","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Outbreak of acute hepatitis A associated with men who have sex with men (MSM) in North Sardinia 2017-2018"],"prefix":"10.3855","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Riccardo","family":"Bazzardi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elena","family":"Dore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimo","family":"Ciccozzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessia","family":"Lai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Margherita","family":"Pisanu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sergio","family":"Babudieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ivana","family":"Maida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2222","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,30]]},"container-title":["The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.jidc.org\/index.php\/journal\/article\/download\/12184\/2355","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.jidc.org\/index.php\/journal\/article\/download\/12184\/2355","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,6]],"date-time":"2020-10-06T17:03:59Z","timestamp":1602003839000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.jidc.org\/index.php\/journal\/article\/view\/12184"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,30]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"09","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,30]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3855\/jidc.12184","relation":{},"ISSN":["1972-2680"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1972-2680","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,30]]}}}