Maternal-fetal transmission of HBV

Abstract

The human hepatitis B virus was shown to be transmitted horizontally by different ways (sexual intercourse, medical interventions, intraveneous drug abuse, tattooing, pearcing etc.). The perinatal transmission has been recognized and accepted only after during the last three decades. The evidences indicating the existence of transplacental transmission has been proven and summarized only in this century. The maternal-fetal transmission was shown to be influenced by the viral load, by the genetic properties of the virus and by the HLA haplotypes of the parents and the fetus. The active immunization of the population was found to reduce the maternal-fetal transmission of HBV significantly. The maternal-fetal transmission was shown to be reduced by caesarean section, by the chemotherapy of HBV-carrier pregnants, and by the passive- and active immunization of the newborns. There is a real chance of the global eradication of hepatitis B virus from the human population, which is one of the major cause of the human liver cancer. The reduction of prenatal infection could be achieved by the reduction of maternal viral load using nucleoside analogues and vaccination in the future