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Significance of measurement of pre‐S2 antigen for the prevention of vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus in infants born to HBsAg carrier mothers
Author(s) -
Terazawa Sousuke,
Kondo Naomi,
Orii Tadao
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1994.tb12948.x
Subject(s) - hbeag , hbsag , medicine , hepatitis b virus , hepatitis b , titer , transmission (telecommunications) , virology , antigen , virus , immunology , electrical engineering , engineering
Terazawa S, Kondo N, Orii T. Significance of measurement of pre‐S2 antigen for the prevention of vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus in infants born to HBsAg carrier mothers. Acta Pædiatr 1994;83:30–4. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253 The significance of pre‐S2 antigen (pre‐S2 Ag) as a marker of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, especially in infants born to HBsAg carrier mothers who are HBeAg‐negative or HBeAg‐positive, was evaluated. Pre‐S2 Ag was measured by enzyme immunoassay. HBsAg carrier mothers who were HBeAg‐negative and HBeAb‐positive were divided into two groups: group A, mothers whose infants were not infected with HBV ( n = 10) and group B, mothers whose infants were infected with HBV ( n = 13). Absorption rates of pre‐S2 Ag in group A and B were 0.09 k 0.04 and 1.36 ± 0.95, respectively. The values for pre‐S2 Ag in group B were significantly higher than those in group A. Values for pre‐S2 Ag among HBsAg carrier mothers who were HBeAg‐positive and HBeAb‐negative were also measured by reversc passive hemagglutination. In the same way, HBsAg carrier mothers who were HBeAg‐positive and HBeAb‐negativc were divided into two groups: group C, mothers whose infants did not become HBsAg carriers ( n = 15) and group D, mothers whose infants became HBsAg carriers (n = 11). The titers of pre‐S2 Ag (reverse passive hemagglutination) in group C and D were 2 5.75 ± 1.68 and 2 10.45 ± 1.69 , respectively. The values for pre‐S2 Ag in group D were significantly higher than those in group C. The values for pre‐S2 Ag as markers of infectivity became higher with increasing amounts of HBV‐DNA. Therefore, our results show that measurement of pre‐S2 Ag in HBsAg carrier mothers who are HBeAg or HBeAb‐positive is useful in the detection of high‐risk groups of vertical transmission of HBV.