HUEY-LING CHENLin L.-H.Hu F.-C.JIAN-TE LEELin W.-T.Yang Y.-J.Huang F.-C.Wu S.-F.Chen S.C.-C.Wen W.-H.Chu C.-H.YEN-HSUAN NIHONG-YUAN HSUTsai P.-L.Chiang C.-L.MING-KWANG SHYUPING-ING LEEChang F.-Y.MEI-HWEI CHANG2021-01-042021-01-0420120016-5085https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84859413328&doi=10.1053%2fj.gastro.2011.12.035&partnerID=40&md5=bb34d81c03f7e2af4bcd333a76137238https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/536991Background & Aims: Mother-to-infant transmission is the major cause of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among immunized children. There has been much debate about screening pregnant women and administering hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) to newborns. We analyzed the rate of HBV infection among children born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers and whether HBIG administration reduces transmission. Methods: We analyzed data from 2356 children born to HBsAg-positive mothers, identified through prenatal maternal screens. In addition to HBV vaccines, HBIG was given to all 583 children with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive mothers and to 723 of 1773 children with HBeAg-negative mothers. Serology tests for HBV were performed from 2007 to 2009, when children were 0.510 years old. Results: A significantly greater percentage of children with HBeAg-positive mothers tested positive for antibodies against the hepatitis B core protein (16.76%) and HBsAg (9.26%) than children with HBeAg-negative mothers (1.58% and 0.29%, respectively; P <.0001 and <.001). Among the HBV-infected children, the rate of chronicity also was higher among children with HBeAg-positive mothers than children with HBeAg-negative mothers (54% vs 17%; P =.002). Similar rates of antibodies against the hepatitis B core protein (0.99% and 1.88%; P =.19) and HBsAg (0.14% and 0.29%; P =.65) were noted in children born to HBeAg-negative mothers who were or were not given HBIG. Infantile fulminant hepatitis developed in 1 of 1050 children who did not receive HBIG (.095%). Conclusions: Children born to HBeAg-positive mothers are at greatest risk for chronic HBV infection (9.26%), despite immunization. Administration of HBIG to infants born to HBeAg-negative mothers did not appear to reduce the rate of chronic HBV infection, but might prevent infantile fulminant hepatitis. Screening pregnant women for HBsAg and HBeAg might control mother-to-infant transmission of HBV. ? 2012 AGA Institute.[SDGs]SDG3hepatitis B antibody; hepatitis B core antibody; hepatitis B surface antibody; hepatitis B surface antigen; hepatitis B vaccine; hepatitis B(e) antigen; article; child; chronicity; controlled study; drug efficacy; female; fulminant hepatic failure; hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; human; humoral immunity; immunization; infant; infant disease; infection rate; major clinical study; male; newborn; prenatal screening; preschool child; priority journal; school child; screening test; serology; vertical transmission; virologyjournal article10.1053/j.gastro.2011.12.0352-s2.0-84859413328