Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus. Present knowledge and prevention.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide problem of public health. Mother/child transmission of the virus represents a major factor in maintaining the infection, which is often transmitted during delivery the risk of transmission of the HBV depending on the degree of maternal infectiosity, the genomic type of the virus, and the rate of maternal antibodies. Evolution towards chronicity of the infected newborn is frequent The available means to prevent the mother/child transmission of the virus are efficient Once HBV maternal infection is diagnosed during pregnancy; joint administration of vaccine and specific immunoglobulins to the baby in the early neonatal period efficiently prevent the mother/child transmission of the virus. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.