Biomaterial Database

Mechanisms of maternal-fetal transmission of hepatitis B virus. 1978

A K Lee, and H M Ip, and V C Wong

In a prospective study of maternal-fetal transmission of hepatitis B virus in 125 healthy mothers who were carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), preliminary results showed that the most important determinant in such transmission was the presence of hepatitis B e antigen in the mother. HBsAg was detectable by solid-phase radioimmunoassay in 33% of amniotic fluid samples, 50% of cord blood samples, 71% of breast milk samples, and 95.3% of samples of gastric contents from newborns. The presence of HBsAg in gastric aspirate from the infants immediately after birth in almost all cases suggests a universal mechanism of infection by the oral route during delivery. In light of these findings, precautions such as possible elective cesarean section, routine gastric aspiration of the newborn, avoidance of breast-feeding, etc., should be taken to avoid perinatal transmission.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008431	Maternal-Fetal Exchange	Exchange of substances between the maternal blood and the fetal blood at the PLACENTA via PLACENTAL CIRCULATION. The placental barrier excludes microbial or viral transmission.	Transplacental Exposure,Exchange, Maternal-Fetal,Exposure, Transplacental,Maternal Fetal Exchange
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011251	Pregnancy Complications, Infectious	The co-occurrence of pregnancy and an INFECTION. The infection may precede or follow FERTILIZATION.	Complications, Infectious Pregnancy,Infectious Pregnancy Complications,Maternal Sepsis,Pregnancy, Infectious Complications,Sepsis during Pregnancy,Sepsis in Pregnancy,Infectious Pregnancy Complication,Pregnancy Complication, Infectious,Sepsis in Pregnancies,Sepsis, Maternal
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002353	Carrier State	The condition of harboring an infective organism without manifesting symptoms of infection. The organism must be readily transmissible to another susceptible host.	Asymptomatic Carrier State,Asymptomatic Infection Carrier,Inapparent Infection Carrier,Presymptomatic Carrier State,Presymptomatic Infection Carrier,Super-spreader Carrier,Superspreader Carrier,Asymptomatic Carrier States,Asymptomatic Infection Carriers,Carrier State, Asymptomatic,Carrier State, Presymptomatic,Carrier States,Carrier, Super-spreader,Carrier, Superspreader,Carriers, Super-spreader,Carriers, Superspreader,Inapparent Infection Carriers,Infection Carrier, Asymptomatic,Infection Carrier, Inapparent,Infection Carrier, Presymptomatic,Presymptomatic Carrier States,Presymptomatic Infection Carriers,Super spreader Carrier,Super-spreader Carriers,Superspreader Carriers
D005260	Female		Females
D006509	Hepatitis B	INFLAMMATION of the LIVER in humans caused by a member of the ORTHOHEPADNAVIRUS genus, HEPATITIS B VIRUS. It is primarily transmitted by parenteral exposure, such as transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, but can also be transmitted via sexual or intimate personal contact.	Hepatitis B Virus Infection
D006510	Hepatitis B Antibodies	Antibodies to the HEPATITIS B ANTIGENS, including antibodies to the surface (Australia) and core of the Dane particle and those to the "e" antigens.	Anti-Australia Antigens,Anti-HBAg,Anti-Hepatitis B Antigens,Anti HBAg,Hepatitis B Virus Antibodies,Anti Australia Antigens,Anti Hepatitis B Antigens,Antibodies, Hepatitis B,Antigens, Anti-Australia,Antigens, Anti-Hepatitis B,B Antibodies, Hepatitis,B Antigens, Anti-Hepatitis,HBAg, Anti