title: Reduced doses of hepatitis B immune globulin in the prevention of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B.
abstract: From October 1982 to May 1983, newborn infants of 79 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive women were enrolled in a study of the efficacy of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) in the prophylaxis of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. HBIG 0.5 ml or 0.25 ml was given to the newborn within 15 minutes of birth and at 3 and 6 months. The mother-infant pairs were followed-up every 3 months for at least 9 months. Similar observations of untreated infants were used for comparison. Among infants of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive carrier mothers, the HBsAg carrier rates at 3 months were similar in the 0.5-ml and 0.25-ml HBIG dose groups. At 12 months the difference--17.7% of 17, 40% of 15--did not reach statistical significance, but the differences between these rates and that of the untreated control-85.7% of 35--did. Among infants of HBeAg-negative carrier mothers, HBV infection rates in both dose groups were similar to those of untreated infants. In the treated groups at 12 months about 45% of infants of HBeAg-positive mothers and 90% of infants of HBeAg-negative mothers were still negative for HBsAg and anti-HBs. Vaccination to induce active antibody is necessary to prevent postnatal infection and chronic carriage of HBV. To reduce the cost of combined passive and active hepatitis B immunoprophylaxis in children born to HBeAg-positive carrier mothers, 0.25 ml of HBIG could be used instead of the usually recommended 0.5 ml.
mesh_terms: D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007231:Infant, Newborn
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin