Call to Action: Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of Hepatitis B in Africa

Overview

Journal J Infect Dis

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2018 Jan 20

PMID 29351639

Citations 16

Authors

Peyton Wilson

Jonathan B Parr

Ravi Jhaveri

Steve R Meshnick

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant public health issue that has not been adequately addressed, especially in the high-prevalence region of Africa. Despite the incorporation of HBV vaccines into the Expanded Program on Immunization, children continue to be infected with HBV through maternal-to-child transmission (MTCT). The addition of a birth dose of HBV vaccine would be a cost-effective method to reduce MTCT. Birth-dose HBV vaccine policies have been adopted in the Western Pacific region but not yet in Africa. Even better protection against HBV MTCT can be achieved by treatment of pregnant women with high HBV viral loads with tenofovir. Tenofovir is already widely used in prevention of HIV MTCT (PMTCT) programs. We suggest that existing HIV PMTCT programs could be expanded to deliver care for HBV-infected pregnant women. With appropriate adoption of birth-dose vaccination policies and expansion of PMTCT programs, elimination of HBV MTCT in Africa is achievable.

Citing Articles

Hepatitis B infection (HBsAg and HBeAg) status among women attending antenatal care at public healthcare facilities of South Africa, 2017.

Moonsamy S, Pillay P, Singh B, Puren A, Ward J, Prabdial-Sing N PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025; 5(1):e0003567.

PMID: 39841729 PMC: 11753652. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003567.

Exploring the impact of hepatitis B immunoglobulin and antiviral interventions to reduce vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus.

Wibowo D, Agustiningsih A, Jayanti S, Sukowati C, El Khobar K World J Exp Med. 2024; 14(4):95960.

PMID: 39713069 PMC: 11551711. DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v14.i4.95960.

Immunogenicity of a Birth Dose of Hepatitis B Vaccine in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Randomised, Controlled Trial.

Tulenko S, Ngimbi P, Mwandagalirwa K, Tabala M, Matondo J, Ntambua S J Viral Hepat. 2024; 31(12):795-807.

PMID: 39314125 PMC: 11578786. DOI: 10.1111/jvh.14003.

Effect of prophylactic antiviral intervention on T cell immunity in hepatitis B virus-infected pregnant women.

Huang M, Gao Y, Liao D, Ma Y, Li J, Tang B BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023; 23(1):392.

PMID: 37245038 PMC: 10223933. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-05700-8.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of occult hepatitis B virus in pregnant women from Gondar, Ethiopia.

Meier-Stephenson V, Deressa T, Genetu M, Damtie D, Braun S, Fonseca K Can Liver J. 2022; 3(4):323-333.

PMID: 35990510 PMC: 9202741. DOI: 10.3138/canlivj-2019-0031.

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