Perinatal Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Screening of Pregnant Women and Protection of the Infant
Authors: CLADD E. STEVENS
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1987)

Editorials1 September 1987Perinatal Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Screening of Pregnant Women and Protection of the InfantCLADD E. STEVENS, M.D.CLADD E. STEVENS, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-107-2-412 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptPerinatal hepatitis B virus infection is of concern for several reasons. First, nearly all infants who acquire the infection from their mothers in the newborn period will become chronic carriers of the virus (1). Second, although carriers usually remain healthy throughout childhood and early adult life, many (especially men) will eventually develop cirrhosis of the liver or hepatocellular carcinoma (2). Third, perinatal infection and the subsequent development of the chronic carrier state in these infants are largely preventable through immunoprophylaxis (3-8).Prophylaxis against perinatal hepatitis B virus infection is possible because most infants acquire their infections not in utero but...References1. STEVENSBEASLEYTSUILEE CRJW. Vertical transmission of hepatitis B antigen in Taiwan. N Engl J Med. 1975;292:771-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. BEASLEYHWANGLINCHIEN RLCC. Hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B virus: a prospective study of 22,707 men in Taiwan. Lancet. 1981;2:1129-33. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. BEASLEYHWANGSTEVENS RLC. Efficacy of hepatitis B immune globulin for prevention of perinatal transmission of the hepatitis B virus carrier state: final report of a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Hepatology. 1983;3:135-41. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. BEASLEYHWANGLEE RLG. Prevention of perinatally transmitted hepatitis B virus infections with hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine. Lancet. 1983;2:1099-102. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. WONGIPREESINK VHH. Prevention of the HBsAg carrier state in newborn infants of mothers who are chronic carriers of HBsAg and HBeAg by administration of hepatitis-B vaccine and hepatitis-B immunoglobulin. Lancet. 1984;1:921-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. LOTSAILEE KYS. Immunoprophylaxis of infection with hepatitis B virus in infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen-positive carrier mothers. J Infect Dis. 1985;152:817-22. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. STEVENSTOYTONG CPM. Perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission in the United States: Prevention by passive-active immunization. JAMA. 1985;253:1740-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. STEVENSTAYLORTONG CPM. Yeast-recombinant hepatitis B vaccine: efficacy with hepatitis B immune globulin in prevention of perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission. JAMA. 1987;257:2612-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. XULIUFRANCIS ZCD. Prevention of perinatal acquisition of hepatitis B virus carriage using vaccine: preliminary report of a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled and comparative trial. Pediatrics. 1985;76:713-8. MedlineGoogle Scholar10. . Recommendations for protection against viral hepatitis. MMWR. 1985;34:313-24, 329-35. MedlineGoogle Scholar11. STEVENSSZMUNESS CW. Vertical transmission of hepatitis B and neonatal hepatitis B. In: BIANCHI L, GEROK W, SICKINGER K, STADLER GA, eds. Virus and the Liver. Lancaster, England: MTP Press; 1980:285-91. Google Scholar12. BEASLEYSTEVENS RC. Vertical transmission of HBV and interruption with globulin. In: VYAS GN, COHEN SN, SCHMID R, eds. Viral Hepatitis. Philadelphia: The Franklin Institute Press; 1978:333-45. Google Scholar13. STEVENSTAYLORTONG CPM. Prevention of perinatal hepatitis B virus infection with hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine. In: Viral Hepatitis. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. (In press). Google Scholar14. KUMARDAWSONMCCULLOUGH MNA. Should all pregnant women be screened for hepatitis B? Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:273-7. LinkGoogle Scholar15. JONASSCHIFFO'SULLIVAN MEM. Failure of Centers for Disease Control criteria to identify hepatitis B infection in a large municipal obstetrical population. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:335-7. LinkGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Laboratory of Epidemiology The New York Blood Center New York, New York PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByHigher rates of chronic hepatitis B infection and low vaccination-induced protection rates among parturients escaping HBsAg prenatal testing in GreeceViral Hepatitis in a Canadian Street-involved PopulationIncidencia de hepatitis B en el servicio de ginecología y obstetricia del Hospital Militar CentralNosocomial infections in the pediatric patient: An updateHepatitis B Serology—Help in Interpretation 1 September 1987Volume 107, Issue 3Page: 412-413KeywordsChild healthCirrhosisHepatitis BHepatocellular carcinomaInfantsInfectious hepatitisLiverPregnancyProphylaxis Issue Published: 1 September 1987 PDF DownloadLoading ...