Screening for hepatitis B carriers at the maternity unit of Besançon teaching hospital
Dalphin, M.L.; Schirrer, J.; Colette, C.; Bertrand, A.M.; Noir, A.
Revue Francaise de Gynecologie et d'Obstetrique 86(4): 271-273
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-290X PMID: 2068490 Document Number: 377571
There are more than 280 carriers of the hepatitis B virus worldwide. The risk of chronic carriers, and a fatal outcome due to hepatocarcinoma, is estimated to be about 50% in Asian children contaminated by materno-fetal transmission. Serovaccination of the neonatal infant born to a HBV carrying mother provides protection in nearly 100% of cases. Routine screening for HBV carriers at the Besançon teaching hospital maternity unit led to the vaccination of 1.12% of the babies born in 1990, which corresponds to the current national average.