A seroprevalence study for hepatitis B virus markers of infection in pregnant women in Romania: results and opportunities for prevention.

Background And Aims: The Action Plan for viral hepatites in the WHO European Region aims to eliminate them as a public health threat by the end of 2030. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) perinatal transmission is a problem of major concern. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of HBV markers in pregnant women in Romania, as scientific evidence for recommending public health interventions.

[Seroepidemiology studies on population immune background to viral hepatitis B].

Material And Method: The studies have been carried out in 855 males and females aged over 20 years belonging to the general population and health care profession included in the European Sero-Epidemiology Network (ESEN) Programme aimed at assessing the population immune background against hepatitis B virus. The serological markers, represented by HBsAg, antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBsAg) and HBcAg (anti-HBcAg) were investigated by the methods widely used in seroepidemiology studies. The patients were divided into 4 subgroups.