title: [Determination of HBSAg in pregnancy. Epidemiologic study of 100 cases].
abstract: There are some arguments concerning prenatal Hepatitis B testing: universal screening versus testing of risk groups. A thousand parturients were evaluated in order to assess the sensitivity of risk factors in the identification of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive women. To achieve that purpose they were questioned regarding risk factors and blood samples were collected for HBsAg testing. Thirty two HBsAg positive parturients were identified. A larger number of HBsAg positive was found amongst women included in the class 5 of the Graffard scale (p = 0.005), or referring contact with patients with hepatitis (p = 0.01). These risk factors identified no more than 17 of the 32 positive mothers (sensitivity = 53%). None of the other risk factors proved significant. The entire questionnaire allows a sensitivity of 87.5% but presents a specificity of 22.5%. In this population, risk factors are not a good method of screening HBsAg positive women. A universal screening must be undertaken in order to prevent vertical transmission of the virus and to detect families in risk.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Obstetrícia Ginecologia, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dória
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
vernacular_title: Determinação do AgHBs na grávida. Estudo epidemiológico de 100 casos.