Investigation on paternal-fetal transmission of hepatitis B virus in neonates

  Objective   To evaluate the infection and prevalence of hepatitis B virus(HBV)in the neonates whose fathers were chronic HBV carriers.

  Methods   230 neonates whose fathers were chronic HBV carriers and mothers were negative for any HBV marker were chosen to detect HBV marker(HBVM), 40 neonates whose parents were both negative for any HBV marker were controlled.

  Results   The serum HBV DNA of 44 neonates in studied group(19.13%)were detected positive from their umbilical blood whereas those in controlled group had negative for HBVM.The serum HBV DNA were 6.851±2.317(logarithm)in the neonates and 7.345±1.572(logarithm)in their fathers.There was not correlation between the neonates and their fathers in serum HBV DNA levels.

  Conclusion   The HBV infectious rates among the neonates whose fathers are HBV carriers are relatively higher.The hepatitis B virus can be transmitted from the fathers to their neonates vertically.The level of serum HBV replication of fathers with chronic HBV carrier is no correlation with their neonates.