title: Hepatitis B.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus is an important sexually transmitted organism that causes not only disease in sexual partners but important perinatal illness as well. The obstetrician-gynecologist must be aware of the epidemiology and the pathophysiology of HBV infections, as well as strategies for treatment and prevention. Physicians must first realize that their profession places them in a high-risk group by definition; therefore pre-exposure prophylaxis (that is, vaccination) is a logical step to take early in a medical career. Moreover, familiarity with guidelines for global HBsAg screening of pregnant women to prevent the serious pediatric hepatic morbidity that results from perinatal transmission of the virus is of paramount importance.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pastorek
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy