[Markers of hepatitis B virus infection in infants born of mothers who are HBs-antigen carriers with anti-HBe present and the problems of passive immunoprophylaxis]

Abstract

In December, 1983 to December, 1985, blood sera of 14,603 pregnant women were tested for the detection of HBsAg carriers among them. A low level (1.1%) of HBsAg carrier state was demonstrated. HBeAg was detected in 5.2% of women-carriers of HBsAg, anti-HBe in 68.8%. The follow-up observations involved 59 babies born to the mothers HBsAg-carriers. The babies were divided into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group consisted of 22 babies who were given specific anti-HBs immunoglobulin, 37 babies of the control group did not receive this preparation. In the experimental group, 3 babies were found to be infected, all of them at the age of 9-12 months. In the control group the infection was detected in 9 babies, among them in 5 the markers of hepatitis B virus were detected at the age of 1-2 months. Based on these data, the efficacy of using anti-HBs immunoglobulin for prevention of neonatal hepatitis B is discussed.