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. 2022 Jun 20;8(2):100076.
doi: 10.1016/j.jve.2022.100076. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Efficacy of the hepatitis B vaccine alone in the prevention of hepatitis B perinatal transmission in infants born to hepatitis B e antigen-negative carrier mothers

Wenjun Zhang  1 , Chenyu Xu  2 , Yanjing Rui  3 , Jie Chen  3 , Tingmei Chen  2 , Yimin Dai  3 , Biyun Xu  4 , Yali Hu  3 , Junhao Chen  1 , Yi-Hua Zhou  1   5
Affiliations

Efficacy of the hepatitis B vaccine alone in the prevention of hepatitis B perinatal transmission in infants born to hepatitis B e antigen-negative carrier mothers

Wenjun Zhang et al. J Virus Erad. .

Abstract

Background: Vertical mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains an important issue. Timely administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and of the HBV vaccine is effective in preventing MTCT in infants born to HBV-infected mothers. However, HBIG is often not easily available in low-income countries or regions.

Methods: We compared in a retrospective cohort study the HBV vaccine efficacy alone and in combination with HBIG in preventing vertical MTCT in infants born to HBeAg-negative carrier mothers in Jiangsu province, China. Based on the administration of the HBV vaccine and HBIG shortly after birth, children were divided into two groups: Group 1, administration of the HBV vaccine alone, and Group 2, concurrent use of HBIG and of the HBV vaccine.

Results: A total of 620 infants born to HBeAg-negative carrier mothers were enrolled into this study. Group 1 included 195 children who had received the HBV vaccine alone after birth, and Group 2, 425 children who had received both HBIG and the HBV vaccine. Children were followed up to the age of 68 and 42 months, respectively. MTCT of HBV occurred in 0% (0/195) in Group 1 (HBV vaccine alone) and 0% (0/425) in Group 2 (HBV vaccine and HBIG) (p = 1.00).

Conclusion: In this retrospective cohort study, we found that HBV vaccination alone shortly after birth was effective in preventing MTCT of HBV in infants born to HBeAg-negative carrier mothers.

Keywords: Efficacy assessment; Hepatitis B e Antigen; Hepatitis B immunoglobulin; Hepatitis B vaccine; Hepatitis B virus; Mother-to-child transmission.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow of subject enrollment. Abbreviations: HBV, hepatitis B virus; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; anti-HBs, antibody against HBsAg; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; HBIG, hepatitis B immunoglobulin.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The primary demographic and clinical characteristics of enrolled mothers and their neonates.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(A) Detection rate and (B) distribution of HBV DNA levels among HBsAg-positive, HBeAg-negative pregnant women in the two groups.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
(A) Anti-HBs positive rate and (B) distribution of anti-HBs levels among the infants with different prophylactic strategies in two groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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