title: Risk factors for intrauterine infection with hepatitis B virus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV) intrauterine infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood samples and clinical data were collected from 174 pregnant women who were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Their 176 neonates received an active-passive immunization schedule at 0, 1, and 6 months. Blood samples from the infants, collected before immune prophylaxis administration, were tested for HBV markers and HBV DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intrauterine infection rate at 6 months after birth was 5.1%. Maternal HBV DNA positivity (OR 11.362; 95% CI, 1.389-92.931), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positivity (OR 7.278; 95% CI, 1.734-30.538), and thalassemia minor (OR 15.619; 95% CI, 2.239-108.964) were associated with intrauterine infection. The intrauterine infection rate for mothers with 10(5) copies/mL of serum HBV DNA or more was 18.2%, compared with 0.8% for mothers with less than 10(5) copies/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A positive HBsAg test at 24 hours and/or 1 month of age followed by a positive test at 6 months is an objective and comprehensive criterion for the diagnosis of HBV intrauterine infection. Maternal HBV DNA positivity (especially 10(5) copies/mL of HBV DNA or more), HBeAg positivity, and thalassemia minor are risk factors for HBV intrauterine infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Obstetrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology Affiliated Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Aizhen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: xiaoxiaomin55@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood* / Q000151:congenital / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens
keywords: Hepatitis B virus; Intrauterine infection; Risk factors