Demonstration of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus by means of polymerase chain reaction.
To investigate the failure of vaccines to prevent mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV), serum, cord blood, and colostrum samples from eleven mothers, known to be carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen, and their infants were examined by means of a highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. HBV-specific DNA was detected in ten maternal serum samples, eight samples of colostral whey, eight samples of colostral cells, and one cord blood sample. Four infants of mothers with HBV-DNA-positive colostrum showed low responsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine. The infant whose cord blood was positive for HBV DNA showed low responsiveness to hepatitis B vaccine and subsequently became an HBV carrier. These results suggest the need for further study to evaluate whether breastfeeding is advisable for HBV carriers.
Mitsuda
T
T
Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yokota
S
S
Mori
T
T
Ibe
M
M
Ookawa
N
N
Shimizu
H
H
Aihara
Y
Y
Yoshida
N
N
Kosuge
K
K
Matsuyama
S
S
D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000382:microbiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase