HEPATITIS B MARKERS

Objective: To determine the transmission of Hepatitis B virus from infectedmother to their newborns. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Pediatrics Ward-2 and Gynecology &Obstetric Department Bahawal Victoria Hospital/Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur. Period: From August2004 to December 2005 Material and Methods: A total of 300 pregnant ladies admitted in the gynecological andobstetric department for delivery were screened for HBsAG, HBeAG, HBcAB, HBsAB, and HBeAB. The newborns ofthe mothers with HBsAG and HBeAG were tested for the same antigens at the time of birth and the ones who werepositives for the antigens were labeled as having “vertical infection” through placenta. Results were tabulated; incidenceof hepatitis was calculated. RESULTS: HBsAG was positive in 37(12.3%) out of the 300 enrolled mothers. Out of the37 babies born to 37 hepatitis B positive mothers, 4(21%) newborns were positive for HBsAG.In the mothers of theseinfected newborns, HBeAG was present in 3 while one mother did not have HBeAG. CONCLUSION: Universal prenatalscreening for hepatitis B in all the pregnant women and protection of their off springs should be provided both by activeand passive prophylaxis immediately after birth depending upon their serological status.