[Perinatal infection with hepatitis B virus and the problem of its specific prevention]

The incidence of HBs- and HBe-antigens detection in future mothers was studied in Moscow, Uzbekistan, and Moldavia, and the incidence of hepatitis B (HB) virus transmission from mothers with persisting HBs-antigenemia to their offspring. In reverse passive hemagglutination test, HBsAg was detected in 1.1% of pregnancies in Moscow, in 6.3% of pregnancies in Uzbekistan, and in 5.4% of pregnancies in Moldavia. In these regions, immunofluorescence revealed HBe-antigen in HBsAg carriers in 5.2, 13.9, and 16.3%, respectively. Perinatal infection with HB virus was found in 26.1% of births to HBsAg carriers in Moscow and in 40% in Uzbekistan and Moldavia; in the latter two regions 16.0% and 13.3% of these births were found to become chronic carriers of HBsAg. In the presence of persistence of HBeAg in HSsAg carriers, from 89 to 100% births to these mothers showed the development of durable HBs-antigenemia, while in the presence of anti-HBe such outcome was noted in only 3%. Specific anti-HBs-immunoglobulin administered to infants born to HBsAg carriers exerted a protective effect by reducing the HB virus infection rate in the first 6 months of life, but failed to prevent completely the development of HB virus infection. The necessity of a wide-scale vaccination against HB in order to prevent HB virus infection of neonates is emphasized.