All issues > Volume 28(3); 1985

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1985;28(3):236-241. Published online March 31, 1985.

Hepatitis B Serologic Markers at Birth in Babies of HBsAg-Positive Mothers.

Jeoung Wan Seo, Hye Seung Kim, Keun Lee

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine,Ewha Womans University

Abstract

It has been established that hepatitis B virus may be transmitted from mothers to infants in the perinatal period. A study was undertaken to identify HBsAg in neonates born to mothers who were asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg. From Jan. 1 ’83 to June 30 ’84, total 4,044 cases of pregnant women and 131 babies were studied for serologic markers of hepatitis B virus in their sera by radioimmunoassay. Followings are the summary of the findings; 1)Screening of 4,044 pregnant women revealed that 190(4.7%) were HBsAg positive. Of 131 HBsAg-positive mothers, 57(43.5%) had HBeAg. 2)All 131 neonates of HBsAg-positive women were tested immediately after birth: In 4.6%(6 of 131), HBsAg was found in their sera. 3)HBsAg was detected in 4(7.01%) neonates born to 57 mothers who had HBsAg-positive and HBeAg-positive sera. And in 2(2.7%) neonates of 74 HBsAg-positive and HBeAg-nega- tive mothers, HBsAg was found. 4)One of the 49 infants(2.05%) born to HBsAg-positive and Anti-HBe positive mothers showed HBs-Antigenemia immediately after birth. 5)The presence of Anti-HBe, Anti-HBc and Anti-HBs in the sera of the neonates bornto HBsAg-positive mothers correlated with those of mothers.

Keywords :Hepatitis B serologic markers at birth;Transplacental transmission;Hepatitis B; Neonate