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Follow-Up of Newborns with Hepatitis B Antigenemia
Jing Qi1, Huijuan Liu2, Limin Wang3
1Department of Disease Control and Prevention, Southern Medical Branch, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100071, China.
Insights
Hepatitis B antigenemia in newborns of infected mothers requires attention, especially when accompanied by viremia. Antigenemia alone is usually temporary, but viremia can indicate immunoprophylaxis failure and active hepatitis B.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Neonatal Medicine
Background:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in mothers poses risks to newborns.
- Data on hepatitis B antigenemia in infants born to HBV-infected mothers is limited.
- Evaluating neonatal HBV antigenemia is crucial for understanding transmission and disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hepatitis B antigenemia in newborns of mothers with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
- To assess the correlation between maternal HBV DNA levels and neonatal antigenemia.
- To evaluate the clinical outcomes of neonatal hepatitis B antigenemia and viremia.
Main Methods:
- Enrollment of newborns with positive serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and/or e antigen (HBeAg).
- Analysis of maternal serum HBV DNA levels at delivery.
- Follow-up assessment of neonatal antigenemia and HBV DNA status.
Main Results:
- 101 newborns from 98 HBV-infected mothers were studied.
- Eight newborns had detectable serum HBV DNA; two experienced immunoprophylaxis failure, one developing active hepatitis.
- Neonatal antigenemia without viremia typically resolved by 6 months.
Conclusions:
- Concurrent HBV viremia and antigenemia in newborns warrants close monitoring.
- Neonatal antigenemia without detectable HBV DNA is often transient.
- Early identification of neonatal HBV infection is critical for timely intervention.
Introduction:
There is a need for data to evaluate hepatitis B antigenemia in newborns of mothers with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aims to investigate this.
Methods:
Newborns with positive serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and/or e antigen (HBeAg) were enrolled in the study.
Results:
One hundred and one newborns from 98 HBV-infected mothers were included. Median maternal serum HBV DNA level was 23,200 IU/mL at delivery. Among the newborns, 48 were boys and 53 were girls. Mean birth weight was 3190.5 g. Twenty-one newborns had concurrent seropositive HBsAg and HBeAg, nine had seropositive HBsAg and seronegative HBeAg, and 71 had seronegative HBsAg and seropositive HBeAg. Eight newborns had detectable serum HBV DNA. In the follow-up, serum HBsAg and HBeAg in the newborns with undetectable HBV DNA became negative before 6 months of age. Two infants with detectable HBV DNA were diagnosed with immunoprophylaxis failure, one of whom developed active hepatitis at 3 months of age. Liver biopsy in this case showed significant interface hepatitis, fibrous septa formation, and expansion of portal areas with occasional bridging fibrosis.
Conclusions:
Concurrent HBV viremia and antigenemia in newborns of HBV-infected mothers requires attention, while antigenemia without viremia is often transient.
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