Lamivudine use in pregnant HBsAg-females effectively reduces maternal viremia.

Background And Study Aims: Mother-infant hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission is the current leading cause of chronic infection. We aimed to assess the efficacy of lamivudine use in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive pregnant women to decrease viral load and thus aid in the prevention of transmission.

Patients And Methods: A study of 73 mother-infant pairs.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection in children born to HBsAg-positive mothers after neonatal passive-active immunoprophylaxis.

Background: Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is a well-recognized clinical entity characterized by the detection of HBV DNA in serum and/or liver in the absence of detectable HBsAg. Diagnosis of OBI requires a sensitive HBV DNA assay.

Aim: We aimed at determining the frequency of OBI in infants, born to HBsAg-positive mothers, who received immunoprophylaxis at birth.