Perinatal HBV Transmission Risk Reduced With Maternal Prophylaxis, Neonatal Immunization, Study Finds

Infectious Disease Advisor (6/4, Barowski) reports, “Perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with maternal hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-positivity and can be effectively prevented via maternal antiviral prophylaxis and neonatal vaccination. These study results were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.” In the study, “the risk for perinatal HBV transmission was higher for infants born to HBeAg-positive mothers (odds ratio [OR], 9.29; 95% CI, 6.79-12.73) and lower for those born to mothers who received antiviral prophylaxis (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.16-0.49).”