Hepatitis B birth dose vaccine eliminated mother-to-child transmission in Ethiopia study

This multi-centre observational study in Ethiopia assessed 387 infants born to HBsAg-positive, HIV-negative mothers who had completed routine hepatitis B vaccination, testing them at 6-12 months post-partum for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). The study reported no transmission among infants who received a timely hepatitis B birth dose (HepB-BD) alone or combined with HBIg, compared to a 15.3% transmission rate in infants who received no immunoprophylaxis at birth; higher maternal viral load and HBeAg positivity were associated with increased transmission risk in infants lacking birth dose vaccination. The authors concluded that starting the vaccination series at 6 weeks, as currently practiced, is insufficient to prevent HBV MTCT in this setting.

Most relevant for: Infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen-positive mothers, particularly in settings where birth dose vaccination timing and maternal viral load or HBeAg status affect transmission risk.

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