Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant females in Egypt and the incidence of its perinatal transmission

Abstract EN

Routine antenatal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) screening and immunization of risk babies is very effective in preventing perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Objective: is to study the prevalence of asymptomatic HBV carrier pregnant females; estimate the incidence of perinatal transmission of the virus to the neonate and to show the correlation between the immunological status of the mothers and the rate of transmission to their babies.

Methodology : Serum samples from 180 parturient females attending Ahmad Maher teaching hospital and cord blood samples of their neonates were collected.

All maternal samples were screened for hepatitis HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies and those positive for HBsAg were in turn tested for HBeAg and anti-HBe antibodies.

Cord blood samples of babies born to HBsAg-positive mothers were tested for HBsAg.

This study evaluated hepatitis B markers using commercial ELISA test kits.

Results: In maternal samples, 14 / 180 (7.7 %) were positive for HBsAg, 38 / 180 (21.1 %) were positive for anti-HBs antibodies and none were positive for either HBeAg or anti-HBe antibodies.

In cord blood samples, 6 / 14 (42.8 %) were positive for HBsAg.

Conclusion : Based on these results, we recommend screening women for HBV during pregnancy in order to identify HBV carriers.

All newborns born to carriers should be vaccinated immediately after birth, both passively and actively.

Also passive immunization of HBV seropositive pregnant women in the third trimester is recommended.