Korean J Intern Med.  2014 May;29(3):307-314. 10.3904/kjim.2014.29.3.307.

Survey of perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission after Korean National Prevention Program in a tertiary hospital

• Kim JH
• Kim JS
• Lee JJ
• Kim JH
• Kim SY
• Jung YK
• Kwon OS
• Kim YS
• Choi DJ
• Kim JH

• KMID: 1792056
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2014.29.3.307

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea have been organizing hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertical infection prevention projects since July 2002. In this single-institute study, the results of surveys conducted in target mothers who delivered babies in a tertiary hospital were investigated and analyzed.
METHODS
Of the 9,281 mothers and their 9,824 neonates born between July 2002 and December 2012, 308 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers and their 319 neonates were selected for this study, and their records were analyzed retrospectively.
RESULTS
A total of 308 mothers were HBsAg-positive, with an HBV prevalence of 3.32% (308/9,281). There were 319 neonates born to these HBsAg-positive mothers, and 252 were confirmed to as either HBsAg-positive or -negative. Four were confirmed as HBsAg-positive, with a 1.59% (4/252) HBV vertical infection rate. All the mothers of neonates who had an HBV vertical infection were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive. Among the HBsAg-positive neonates, three were HBeAg-positive and had an HBV DNA titer of 1.0 x 10(8) copies/mL.
CONCLUSIONS
The HBV prevalence of mothers was 3.32% (308/9,281), and their vertical infection rate was 1.59% (4/252). Thus, the South Korean HBV vertical infection prevention projects are effective, and, accordingly, HBV prevalence in South Korea is expected to decrease continuously.

Keyword

Hepatitis B; Vaccination; Vertical infection transmission; Korea

MeSH Terms

Adult
Biological Markers/blood
DNA, Viral/blood
Female
Health Surveys
Hepatitis B/blood/diagnosis/epidemiology/prevention & control/*transmission/virology
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood
Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood
Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology
Humans
Infant, Newborn
*Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/prevention & control
*National Health Programs
Pregnancy
Prevalence
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
*Tertiary Care Centers
Viral Load
Biological Markers
DNA, Viral
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
Hepatitis B e Antigens