title: Perinatal and intrafamily transmission of hepatitis B virus in three generations of a low-prevalence population.
abstract: Family members of 47 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-carrier pregnant women were tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), other markers of HBV infection, and hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibodies. Eleven members of six families were found to be HBV DNA positive. Five of the anti-HBe-positive persons were found to be HBV DNA carriers, too. The mean age of the HBV DNA carriers was found to be lower than that of Hbe carriers; therefore, it is suggested that seroconversion to HBe occurs before the resolution of HBV DNA carrier state. Superinfection with hepatitis A virus was not found to influence the elimination of HBV-carrier state, as there was no correlation found between the hepatitis A exposure and the hepatitis B virus markers in the families. The low HBV prevalence in the population (0.3%) was in contrast to the high prevalence of the families of the HBV-carrier mothers (27.1%) and family members with HBV markers (50.4%). Significant positive correlation was found in the proportion of HBV-positive children, and the HBV history of their parents. When fathers were shown to be seronegative, the probability of HBV transmission was reduced by a factor of 6 (12.5% instead of 75%) probably due to reduced viral load and possibly by other factors. Several results indicate, that the noncytocidal hepatitis B virus clearing mechanism suggested by Guidotti et al. [1996, 1999] was effective also in the HBV-carrier human population.
authors.affiliation: Bács-Kiskun Regional Institute of the National Service of the Chief Medical Officer, Kecskemét, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ordög
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szendrôi
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szarka
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kugler
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Csire
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kapusinszky
authors.forename: Jiuru
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Csizmadia
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brojnás
authors.forename: Erzsébet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rusvai
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tempfli
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berencsi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines