Summary
A follow-up study of mother to infant transmission of hepatitis B virus was conducted in the Philippines between 1981 and 1983. The prevalence of HBsAg among 527 mothers was 8.5%. Overall, seven out of 17 (41.2%) infants born to HBsAg carrier mothers became HBsAg positive within the first 12 months of life. The risk of becoming HBsAg positive was about 20 times higher for infants born to HBsAg positive mothers than for infants born to HBsAg negative mothers (OR=18.9, 95% Ci=2.0−86.6). The risk was even higher if the mother was a carrier of both HBsAg und HBeAg (OR=91.0, 95% Ci=49.2−164.8). However, the risk of transmission was very low if the mother was an HBsAg carrier and anti-HBe positive. It was estimated that mother to infant transmission accounts for about one third of HBsAg positivity at one year of age. The implications of these findings in the planning of vaccination campaigns to prevent HBV infections are discussed.
Zusammenfassung
In den Philippinen wurde zwischen 1981 und 1983 eine Verlaufsstudie zur Mutter-Kind-Übertragung des Hepatitis-B-Virus durchgeführt. Bei 527 Müttern fand sich eine HBsAg-Prävalenz von 8,5%. Sieben von 17 Neugeborenen (41,2%) der HBsAg-Carrier-Mütter wurden im Ablauf der ersten 12 Lebensmonate HBsAg-positiv. Bei Kindern HBsAg-positiver Mütter war das Risiko einer HBsAg-Serokonversion 20mal höher als bei Kindern HBsAg-negativer Mütter (OR=18,9; 95%; Ci=2,0−86,6). Bei Müttern, die nicht nur HBsAg, sondern auch HBeAg-Carrier waren, bestand ein noch größeres Risiko für das Kind, HBsAg-positiv zu werden (OR=91,0; 95%; Ci=49,2−164,8). Bei Müttern, die HBsAg-Carrier, aber anti-HBe-positiv waren, bestand nur ein sehr geringes Übertragungsrisiko. Schätzungsweise sind ein Drittel der Fälle von HBsAg-Positivität bei einjährigen Kindern auf Mutter-Kind-Übertragung zurückzuführen. Die Bedeutung dieser Daten für die Planung von Impfaktionen zur Prävention von HBV-Infektionen wird diskutiert.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blumberg, B. S., Sutnick, A. T., London, W. T., Melartin, L. Sex distribution of Australia antigen. Arch. Intern. Med. 130 (1972) 227–231.
Nishioka, K., Levin, A. G., Simons, M. J. Hepatitis B antigen, antigen subtypes and hepatitis B antibody in normal subjects and patients with liver diseases. Bull. WHO, 52 (1975) 293–300.
Lingao, A. L. Hepatitis B virus infection in Filipino blood donors and recipients. Phil J. Intern. Med. 17 (1979) 165–168.
Lingao, A. L., Domingo, E. O., West, S. K., Reyes, C. M., Gasmen, S., Viterbo, G., Tui, E., Lansang, M. A. Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus in the Philippines. Am. J. Epidemiol. 123 (1982) 473–480.
Stevens, C. E., Beasley, R. P., Tsui, J., Lee, W. C. Vertical transmission of hepatitis B antigen in Taiwan. N. Engl. J. Med. 292 (1975) 771–774.
Beasley, R. P., Trepo, C., Stevens, C. E., Szmuness, W. The e antigen and vertical transmission of hepatitis B surface antigen. Am. J. Epidemiol. 105 (1977) 94–98.
Nishioka, K. Predominant mode of transmission of hepatitis B virus: perinatal transmission in Asia. In:Girish N. Vyas (ed.): Viral hepatitis and liver disease. Grune and Stratton, Orlando, Fl. 1984, pp. 423–432.
Chan, S. H., Tan, K. L.;Goh, K. T., Isakok, M., Oon, C. J., Ratnam, S. S. Maternal-child hepatitis B virus transmission in Singapore. Internation. J. Epidemiol. 14 (1985) 173–177.
Skinhoj, P., Sardemann, H., Cohn, J., Mikkelsen, M., Olesen, H. Hepatitis associated antigen (HAA) in pregnant women and their newborn infants. Am. J. Dis. Child 123 (1972) 380–381.
Schweitzer, I. L., Wing, A., McPeak, C. E., Spears, R. L.: Hepatitis and hepatitis associated antigens in 56 mother-infant pairs. Am. J. Med. Incidence in Five Continents, Volume V, Lyon, (IARC Scientific Publications No. 88) 1987.
Muir, C., Waterhouse, J., Mack, T., Powell, J., Whelan, S. (eds): Cancer incidence in five continents, Volume V, Lyon (IARC Scientific Publications No. 88) 1987.
Muńoz, N., Bosch, F. X. Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma. In:Okuda, K. andIshak, K. G. (eds Neoplasm of the liver, Springer, Tokyo, 1987, pp. 1–19.
Trichopoulos, D., Day, N., Kaklamani, E., Tzonou, A., Muńoz, N., Zavitsanos, X., Komantaki, Y., Trichopoulou, A. Tobacco smoking, hepatitis B virus and ethanol consumption in the etiology of hepatocelluar carcinoma. Internation. J. Cancer 39 (1987) 45–49.
Beasley, R. P., Lin, Ch. Ch., Hwang, L. Y., Chien, Ch. S. Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus infections: a prospective study in Taiwan. Lancet II (1981) 1129–1132.
Lingao, A. L., Domingo, E. O., Nishioka, K. Hepatitis B virus profile of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Philippines. Cancer 48 (1981) 1590–1595.
Imai, H., Tachibana, F., Moritsuzo, Y., Miyakawa, Y., Mayumi, M. Hepatitis B associated deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase activity and e antigen — anti-e system. Infect. Immunol., 14 (1976), 631–635.
Imai, M., Yamashita, Y., Miyakawa, Y., Mayumi, M. Haemagglutination-inhibition assay of comicron determinants and subspecificities of Australia antigen. Immunology, 27 (1974) 871–878.
Johnson, R. B., Libby, R. Separation of immunoglobulin M (IgM) essentially free of IgG from serum for use in systems requiring assay of IgM-type antibodies without interference from rheumatoid factor. J. Clin. Microbiol., 12 (1980) 451–454.
Goudeau, A., Yvonnet, B., Lesage, G., Barin, F., Denis, F., Coursaget, P., Chiron, J. P., Diopmas, I. Lack of anti-HBc IgM in neonates with HBsAg carrier mothers argues against transplacental transmission of hepatitis B virus infection. Lancet, II (1983) 1103–1104.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lingao, A.L., Torres, N.T., Lansang, M.A.D. et al. Mother to child transmission of hepatitis B virus in the Philippines. Infection 17, 275–279 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01650707
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01650707