Pattern of hepatitis virus infection among pregnant women and their newborns at the Women's Health Center of Assiut University, Upper Egypt.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence, risk factors, and rate of vertical transmission of HBV and/or HCV infection among pregnant women in Upper Egypt, and assess the preventive efficacy of administering hepatitis B immunoglobulin and vaccine to newborns on their carrier status at 8 months.


METHODS
Five hundred pregnant women were screened for HCV and HBV serum markers by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Those testing positive had their status confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and their levels of liver enzymes and interferon gamma were evaluated. The newborns of HBV-positive women received hepatitis B immunoglobulin and vaccine and were followed up to assess the rates of vertical transmission and carrier status among the newborns.


RESULTS
Of the 500 pregnant women, 6.4% were HCV positive, 4.0% were HBV positive, and 1.0% were both. The vertical transmission rate was 3.1% for HCV, 30.0% for HBV, and 20.0% for a combined infection. The carrier rate of the infants at the end of their eighth month was 10.8% for those with HCV and 8% for those with HBV.


CONCLUSIONS
Infection with HBV and/or HCV is highly prevalent among pregnant women in Upper Egypt. The rate of vertical transmission was also high. Administering hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin resulted in a 92% reduction in carrier status among newborns.
Zahran
Kamal M
KM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. drzahranmk@yahoo.com
Badary
Mohamad S
MS
Agban
Michael N
MN
Abdel Aziz
Nafesa H R
NH
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*
D018963:Hepatitis Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007136:Immunoglobulins