PEDIATRICS Vol. 72 No. 2 August 1983, pp. 266-267
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Infectivity of Anti-hepatitis Be-Positive Hepatitis B Carrier Mothers

Michael Sacher MD1, Gerald Eder MD2, Kurt Baumgarten MD3, and Heribert Thaler MD3

1 Gv Preyer Kinderspital, Schrankenberggasse 31, A-1100 Vienna, Austria
2 Med-chem Institut, Universität Wien, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
3 Wilhelminenspital, A-1160 Vienna, Austria

We have read with interest the paper by Sinatra et al,1 in which the vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from anti-HBe-positive carrier mothers to their infants was reported. From the point of view of our own data2 we want to stress the importance of these findings: 4,400 pregnant women were tested consecutively for hepatitis B markers. Of 23 mothers who were hepatitis B surface antigen positive (healthy carriers), 18 were anti-HBe positive, three were HBe antigen positive, and in two women neither anti-HBe nor HBe antigen was detected.