-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
R. PALMER BEASLEY, CHRISTIAN TREPO, CLADD E. STEVENS, WOLF SZMUNESS, THE e ANTIGEN AND VERTICAL TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 105, Issue 2, February 1977, Pages 94–98, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112370
Close - Share Icon Share
Abstract
The relationship of e antigen (eAg) and its antibody (anti-e) to vertical transmission of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from chronic asymptomatic HBsAg carrier women to their children was investigated in Taiwan. Sera from 20 of the 62 women studied were positive for eAg (32%); serum from only one woman was positive for anti-e (2%). A total of 85% of the babies born to eAg positive mothers became HB5Ag carriers, while only 31% of the babies became carriers when the mother was eAg negative. Maternal a antigenemia correlated with a high HB5Ag titer, and both parameters were equally good predictors of vertical transmission.