Ameer Ahmad, Ghulam Qasim Khan Khichi, Abdul Rehman.
Hepatitis B markers.
Professional Med J Jan ;14(2):307-11.

To determine the transmission of Hepatitis B virus from infected mother to their newborns. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Pediatrics Ward-2 and Gynecology & Obstetric Department Bahawal Victoria Hospital/Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur. Period: From August 2004 to December 2005 Material and Methods: A total of 300 pregnant ladies admitted in the gynecological and obstetric department for delivery were screened for HBsAG, HBeAG, HBcAB, HBsAB, and HBeAB. The newborns of the mothers with HBsAG and HBeAG were tested for the same antigens at the time of birth and the ones who were positives for the antigens were labeled as g vertical infection” through placenta. Results were tabulated; incidence of hepatitis was calculated. RESULTS: HBsAG was positive in 37(12.3%) out of the 300 enrolled mothers. Out of the 37 babies born to 37 hepatitis B positive mothers, 4(21%) newborns were positive for HBsAG.In the mothers of these infected newborns, HBeAG was present in 3 while one mother did not have HBeAG. CONCLUSION: Universal prenatal screening for hepatitis B in all the pregnant women and protection of their off springs should be provided both by active and passive prophylaxis immediately after birth depending upon their serological status.

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