Hepatitis B virus infection among children of hepatitis B surface antigen positive mothers in a Malaysian hospital
- Author:
Wah-Kheong CHAN
1
;
Kee-Ying YEOH
;
Chia-Ying LIM
;
Su-Meng LAI
;
Jac-Lyn LEE
;
Alex Hwong-Ruey LEOW
;
Khean-Lee GOH
Author Information
1. Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Original article
- Keywords:
HBV;
vertical transmission;
Malaysia
- From:
The Medical Journal of Malaysia
2018;73(3):137-140
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection amongchildren of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivemothers in Malaysia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of all the childrenof HBsAg-positive mothers who delivered at the Universityof Malaya Medical Centre between 1993 and 2000. Results: A total of 60 HBsAg-positive mothers and their 154children participated in the study. HBsAg was detected infour children (2.6%) while IgG antibody to the hepatitis Bcore antigen (anti-HBc IgG) was detected in seventeenchildren (11.0%). The mother’s age at childbirth wassignificantly lower in the children with detectable HBsAg(22.5±6.1 years vs. 29.7±4.5 years, p=0.043) and anti-HBc IgG(26.6±6.1 years vs. 30.0±4.3 years, p=0.004). Children born inthe 1980s were significantly more likely to have detectableHBsAg (18.8% vs. 0.7%, p=0.004) and anti-HBc IgG (37.5%vs. 8.0%, p=0.000) compared with those born later. Allchildren with detectable HBsAg were born via spontaneousvaginal delivery, and hepatitis B immunoglobulin was eithernot given or the administration status was unknown. Themajority of mothers with chronic HBV infection (70.4%) werenot under any regular follow-up for their chronic HBVinfection and the main reason was the lack of awareness ofthe need to do so (47.4%). Conclusion: Transmission of HBV infection among childrenof HBsAg-positive mothers in Malaysia is low. However,attention needs to be given to the high rate of HBsAg-positive mothers who are not on any regular follow-up.
