Risk of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus in Jordan.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Jordan. METHODS: Plasma samples from 1000 pregnant Jordanian women were screened by ELISA for HBV markers (HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc and anti-HBs). RESULTS: HBsAg and HBeAg were detected in 4.3% and 0.1% of the pregnant women, respectively. The overall prevalence of antibodies was 6%, 11.1% and 7.5% for anti-HBe, anti-HBc and anti-HBs, respectively. Women were assigned to four groups according to the serological patterns of HBV markers: susceptible (85.9%), with acute infection (2.9%), with chronic infection (1.4%) and previously infected (9.8%). Most women were at the third trimester of pregnancy, therefore women with acute and chronic hepatitis at this gestational age were at risk of transmitting HBV infection to their newborns. Women who belonged to the low socio-economic class were at higher risk of HBV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, we recommend screening women for HBV during pregnancy in order to identify HBV carriers. All newborns born to carriers should be vaccinated immediately after birth, both passively and actively. Also vaccination of HBV seronegative pregnant women is recommended.