Congenital Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most prevalent chronic infectious disease in the world. Perinatal acquisition is the major cause of infection in infants and children. Without vaccine during infancy, 90 % of infants born to women positive for the virus will go on to become lifelong carriers. There are significant sequelae associated with HBV infection, ranging from fulminant HBV to chronic liver disease to an increased risk for carcinoma. In order to prevent liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in later life, it is essential to prevent HBV infection in infants. If the mother is chronically infected with HBV and is also positive for HBeAg, 8090% of the newborns become chronically infected, whereas if the mother is positive for antiHBe, only some newborns will develop acute hepatitis or fulminant hepatitis. It is necessary to screen pregnant women for HBsAg and prevent mothertoinfant infection of HBV, treating the infant with hepatitis B hyperimmune globuline at birth, followed by HBV vaccination. (J Pediatr Inf 2007; 1: 637)