title: A review of strategies to prevent mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes long-term, life-threatening liver diseases worldwide. HBV is transmitted through either the horizontal or mother-to-infant route, which is the major route of transmission in endemic areas. Administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccine to newborns of infected mothers prevents mother-to-infant transmission. Implementation of a universal hepatitis B vaccination program has proven successful in eliminating the infection and related complications. Nevertheless, efforts are still needed to improve global coverage of the hepatitis B vaccine. Infants born to highly viremic mothers are still at risk of infection despite current immunoprophylaxis. An increasing number of reports have shown promising efficacy and safety profiles with the use of nucleoside/nucleotide analogues in highly viremic pregnant women to prevent mother-to-infant transmission.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatrics , Cardinal Tien Hospital , New Taipei City , Taiwan.|b School of Medicine, College of Medicine , Fu-Jen Catholic University , New Taipei City , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wan-Hsin
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: c Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics , Chang Gung Memorial Hospital , Linkou , Taiwan.|d College of Medicine , Chang Gung University , Taoyuan , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: e Department of Pediatrics , National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Hwei
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin
keywords: HBV DNA; hepatitis B immunoglobulin; hepatitis B vaccine; immunoprophylactic failure; nucleoside/nucleotide analogue