Abstract
Background: Maternal infection with hepatitis can expose the newborn to subsequent chronic hepatitis. Acquired hepatitis is a preventable condition. A low percentage of hepatitis during pregnancy was found in this study to indicate successfully adoption of the modern methods of infection control. Objective: Maternal infection with hepatitis B or C virus can expose the newborn to a subsequent chronic hepatitis infection. Perinatally acquired hepatitis B virus is a largely preventable condition. Herein, the authors aimed o determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among pregnant women. Materials and Methods: 48,556 pregnant women attending the delivery room between January 2005 and December 2016 were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B antibody (HBsAb), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B e antibody (HBeAb), hepatitis B core IgM (HBc IgM), hepatitis B core IgG (HBc IgG), and hepatitis C antibody (HCV Ab). The percentages of the above variables were determined. Results: Of the 48,556 women, 118 (0.24 %) were found to have hepatitis, 107 (0.22%) with hepatitis B, and 11 (0.02%) with hepatitis C. HBsAg was positive in 102 (86.4 %), HBsAb in six (5.1%), HBeAg in 14 (11.9%), HBeAb in 52 (44.1%), HBc IgM in seven (5.9%), HBc IgG in 51 (43.2%), and HCV Ab in 11 (9.3%). Acute hepatitis B was found in two (1.7%) women, chronic hepatitis B in 60 (50.1%), chronic hepatitis B and C in four (3.4%), chronic hepatitis C in seven (5.9%), chronic inactive hepatitis B in 39 (33.1%), latent hepatitis in two (1.7%), and resolved chronic hepatitis B in four (3.4%). Conclusions: A low percentage of seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C during pregnancy was found at a tertiary university hospital in Jordan.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma [1]
The risk of vertical transmission depends on the status of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)
The blood samples of 48,574 pregnant women attending the delivery room at Jordan University Hospital were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B antibody (HBsAb), HBeAg, hepatitis B e antibody (HBeAb), hepatitis B core IgM (HBc IgM), hepatitis B core immunoglobulin G (IgG) (HBc IgG), and hepatitis C antibody (HCV Ab), between January 2005 and December 2016, using an analyzer
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma [1]. Maternal infection with HBV or hepatitis C virus (HCV) can expose the newborn to a subsequent chronic hepatitis infection. The risk of perinatal HBV infection in an infant with a HBsAg positive mother is less than 10% if the mother is HBeAg negative. This risk rises to 70-90% if positive for HBeAg [3]. An infant has approximately a 90% chance of becoming a chronic HBV carrier and, when chronically infected, has a 15-25% risk of dying in adulthood from cirrhosis or liver cancer [4, 5].
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