We report a prospective study on infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers to estimate the incidence of perinatal transmission of HBV and HBV-associated delta agent in Northern Italy. The risk of infection to the infant was related to the presence of the HBe antigen-antibody system, HBV-specific DNA polymerase activity and antibody to delta in maternal sera, and to the titer of anti-HBe in babies at birth. The data of this study indicate: 1. Babies born to HBsAg carrier mothers with HBeAg in serum are at extremely high risk of acquiring HBV infection and of developing a chronic carrier state, whereas those born to anti-HBe-positive mothers are at a lower (P<.01) yet consistent risk of infection. 2. HBs antigenemia is usually prolonged and symptomatic in babies born to HBeAg-positive mothers while being self-limited and asymptomatic in babies born to anti-HBe-positive mothers. 3. DNA polymerase activity in maternal serum appears to be the most sensitive marker predicting HBV transmission to the infant since it was detected in all the HBeAg-positive mothers and also in two anti-HBe-positive mothers and in one HBeAg/anti-HBe-negative mother who transmitted infection to their babies. 4. High titers of anti-HBe (up to 1:103) do not prevent HBV infection. 5. Vertical transmission of delta infection seems to occur only in circumstances that permit perinatal transmission of HBV infection.
Perinatal transmission of the hepatitis B virus and of the HBV-associated delta agent from mothers to offspring in northern Italy / A.R. ZANETTI, P. FERRONI, E.M. MAGLIANO, P. PIROVANO, C. LAVARINI, A.L. MASSARO, R. GAVINELLI, C. FABRIS, M. RIZZETTO. - In: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY. - ISSN 0146-6615. - 9:2(1982), pp. 130-148.
Perinatal transmission of the hepatitis B virus and of the HBV-associated delta agent from mothers to offspring in northern Italy
A.R. ZANETTIPrimo
;
1982
Abstract
We report a prospective study on infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers to estimate the incidence of perinatal transmission of HBV and HBV-associated delta agent in Northern Italy. The risk of infection to the infant was related to the presence of the HBe antigen-antibody system, HBV-specific DNA polymerase activity and antibody to delta in maternal sera, and to the titer of anti-HBe in babies at birth. The data of this study indicate: 1. Babies born to HBsAg carrier mothers with HBeAg in serum are at extremely high risk of acquiring HBV infection and of developing a chronic carrier state, whereas those born to anti-HBe-positive mothers are at a lower (P<.01) yet consistent risk of infection. 2. HBs antigenemia is usually prolonged and symptomatic in babies born to HBeAg-positive mothers while being self-limited and asymptomatic in babies born to anti-HBe-positive mothers. 3. DNA polymerase activity in maternal serum appears to be the most sensitive marker predicting HBV transmission to the infant since it was detected in all the HBeAg-positive mothers and also in two anti-HBe-positive mothers and in one HBeAg/anti-HBe-negative mother who transmitted infection to their babies. 4. High titers of anti-HBe (up to 1:103) do not prevent HBV infection. 5. Vertical transmission of delta infection seems to occur only in circumstances that permit perinatal transmission of HBV infection.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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