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  • Title: [Epidemiology and clinical course of perinatally acquired hepatitis B infection].
    Author: Sacher M, Unger FD, Eder G, Blümel P, Stögmann W.
    Journal: Wien Klin Wochenschr; 1985 Apr 26; 97(9):404-8. PubMed ID: 4002722.
    Abstract:
    A report is presented on 10 children with perinatally-acquired hepatitis B virus infection. In 9 cases the mother was most probably the source of infection (vertical transmission of hepatitis B), whilst one child was infected via repeated blood transfusion. 7 mothers were of south-eastern European and/or Anatolian origin. Only 2 mothers suffered from clinically apparent liver disease (one had chronic-aggressive hepatitis with positive HBs-antigen and the other had acute hepatitis B). All the others were healthy hepatitis B carriers. Of 7 mothers examined 2 were HBe-antigen positive, and 5 were anti-HBe positive. The clinical course of infection in children varied: 2 children developed subclinical infection, 2 developed acute hepatitis B, which was fulminant with a fatal outcome in one. 6 children showed antigen persistence (HBs-antigen carriers) over the whole period of observation. In one child this antigen persistence is associated with cirrhosis of the liver, 3 children suffer from chronic-persistent hepatitis B, 2 children are healthy carriers; all children are HBe-antigen positive and, thus, seem to be highly infectious. Apart from the risk to the individual, perinatal hepatitis B infection in a certain population. Hence, preventive measures are indicated and should be carried out in form of HBs-antigen screening of pregnant women - at least of high-risk groups - and active-passive immunization of the newborns at risk. The indication for immunization should not depend on the HBe-antigen status of HBs-antigen positive mothers.
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