Maternal ABO and rhesus blood group phenotypes and hepatitis B surface antigen carriage

In view of a persistently high prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriage in our obstetric population, we examined the association between HBsAg carriage with maternal ABO and rhesus (Rh) blood group phenotypes determined at routine antenatal screening. In a retrospective study, the antenatal screening results of women booked for confinement between 1998 and 2011 in our hospital were examined for the relationship between HBsAg carriage with the ABO and rhesus blood groups, taking into account also the effects of advanced maternal age (≥ 35 years) and parity status (nulliparous or multiparous), and year of birth before or following the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine (1984). HBsAg carriage was found in 9.9%, 9.6%, 9.1% and 10.2% (P = 0.037) for group-A (n = 20 581 or 26.1%), -B (n = 20 744 or 26.4%), -AB (n = 5138 or 6.5%) and -O (n = 32 242 or 41.0%) among the 78705 women in the study cohort. Rhesus negativity was found in 0.6%, and HBsAg carriage was 12.3% and 9.8%, respectively, for the Rh-negative and Rh-positive women (P = 0.071). Carriage rate between group-O and non-O was influenced by nulliparity, age ≥ 35 years and Rh-positive status. Regression analysis indicated that group-B (P = 0.044, aOR = 1.062, 95% CI 1.002-1.127) and group-AB (P = 0.016, aOR = 1.134, 95% CI 1.024-1.256) were associated with HBsAg carriage. Blood groups-B and -AB are associated with increased hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in our population, and further studies are warranted to elucidate the implications of this on the sequelae of HBV infection.