Risk of hepatitis B transmission in breast-fed infants of chronic hepatitis B carriers.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To measure the rate of hepatitis B (HBV) transmission from chronic HBV carriers to breast-fed infants after immunoprophylaxis.

METHODS:

Since 1992, information on women with HBV during pregnancy has been collected in a prospective longitudinal study. Those HBV carriers and their infants participating in a county HBV immunoprophylaxis program were identified. Infants were followed for up to 15 months and examined for hepatitis B infection by hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

RESULTS:

A total of 369 infants born to women with chronic HBV met the inclusion criteria and received hepatitis B immune globulin at birth and the full course of the hepatitis B vaccine series. We compared 101 breast-fed infants with 268 formula-fed infants. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the number of women who were positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) (22% versus 26%, P =.51). Three women in the breast-feeding group had liver transaminase abnormalities, compared with six women in the formula-feeding group (P =.29). Overall, there were nine cases of HBV infection transmission (2.4%). None of the 101 breast-fed infants and nine formula-fed infants (3%) were positive for HBsAg after the initial vaccination series (P =.063). The mean length of time for breast-feeding was 4.9 months (range 2 weeks to 1 year).

CONCLUSION:

With appropriate immunoprophylaxis, including hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine, breast-feeding of infants of chronic HBV carriers poses no additional risk for the transmission of the hepatitis B virus.

• Authors: James B Hill, Jeanne S Sheffield, Matthew J Kim, James M Alexander, Barbara Sercely, George D Wendel
• Journal: Obstetrics and gynecology (Obstet Gynecol) Vol. 99 Issue 6 Pg. 1049-52 (Jun 2002) ISSN: 0029-7844 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12052598 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
• Hepatitis B Vaccines

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Breast Feeding (adverse effects)
• Chronic Disease
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Hepatitis B (prevention & control, transmission)
• Hepatitis B Surface Antigens (blood)
• Hepatitis B Vaccines
• Humans
• Immunization, Passive
• Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
• Infant, Newborn
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical (prevention & control, statistics & numerical data)
• Longitudinal Studies
• Pregnancy
• Prospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Texas (epidemiology)