title: Failure of immune serum globulin to prevent hepatitis B virus infection in infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers.
abstract: Twelve infants, born to mothers with hepatitis B virus infection, were inoculated within 7 days of birth with immune serum globulin containing antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) titers of 1:32 to 1:64 as measured by passive hemagglutination. Six of nine infants (66.7%) born to HBsAg-positive carrier mothers became HBsAg-positive within 3 mo of age. In addition, two of three treated infants born to mothers with acute hepatitis B during the delivery period also developed HBsAg. The hepatitis e antigen was detected in four of five carrier mothers and in two mothers with acute hepatitis, whose infants subsequently became HBsAg positive. In addition, hepatitis B-specific DNA polymerase activity was detected in the seven HBsAg-positive mothers who transmitted the virus to their infants. All eight infants have remained persistently HBsAg positive. Thus, the immune serum globulin containing low-titer antibody to HBsAg is not protective when given to infants born to HBsAg carrier mothers or to mothers with acute hepatitis B during the delivery period.
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000151:congenital* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase