title: Vertical transmission of hepatitis B surface antigen in carrier mothers in two west London hospitals.
abstract: 126 children of 102 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers were delivered at Hammersmith Hospital and Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital, between 1971 and mid-1978. Blood tests on 110 of these children showed that 8 out of the 18 with Chinese mothers, but only 6 out of the 92 other children, have become HBsAg positive. The presence of maternal hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is also significantly correlated with transmission of HBsAg to the children. The management of children whose mothers are carriers is discussed.
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens