Immunisation of babies of women who screen positive for hepatitis B

I Holtby1, B McCarron

  • 1County Durham and Tees Valley Health Protection Unit, Poole House, Stokesley Road, Middlesbrough TS7 0NJ. ian.holtby@tees-shs.nhs.uk

Pregnant women from countries with high prevalence rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may have significant HBV DNA levels despite being hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative and having antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe positive). It is suggested that their babies, following delivery, should be given hepatitis B specific immunoglobulin (HBIG) in addition to hepatitis B vaccine in order to ensure their protection against infection.

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