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Prevalence of hepatitis B, D and C virus infections among children and pregnant women in Moldova: additional evidence supporting the need for routine hepatitis B vaccination of infants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 1999

J. DROBENIUC ,
Y. J. F. HUTIN ,
R. HARPAZ ,
M. FAVOROV ,
A. MELNIK ,
P. IAROVOI ,
C. N. SHAPIRO  and
B. A. WOODRUFF
J. DROBENIUC
Affiliation:
National Centre for Scientific and Applied Preventive Medicine, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Y. J. F. HUTIN
Affiliation:
Hepatitis Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
R. HARPAZ
Affiliation:
Child Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Branch, Epidemiology and Surveillance Division, National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
M. FAVOROV
Affiliation:
Hepatitis Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
A. MELNIK
Affiliation:
National Centre for Scientific and Applied Preventive Medicine, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
P. IAROVOI
Affiliation:
National Centre for Scientific and Applied Preventive Medicine, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
C. N. SHAPIRO
Affiliation:
Hepatitis Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
B. A. WOODRUFF
Affiliation:
International Emergency and Refugee Health Program, Emergency Response Coordination Group, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
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Abstract

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Rates of acute hepatitis B are high in Moldova, but the prevalence of chronic infection is unknown. In 1994, we surveyed children and pregnant women, collected demographic information, and drew blood for laboratory testing. Among the 439 children (mean age, 5 years), the prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were 17·1 and 6·8%, respectively. Among the 1098 pregnant women (mean age, 26 years), 52·4% were anti-HBc-positive and 9·7% were HBsAg-positive. Of the HBsAg-positive pregnant women, 35·6% were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive and 18·3% had antibodies to hepatitis D virus. The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus was 1·4% in children and 2·3% in pregnant women. The high HBeAg prevalence among HBsAg-positive pregnant women and the high anti-HBc prevalence among children indicate that both perinatal and early childhood transmission contribute to the high hepatitis B virus endemicity in Moldova.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 123 , Issue 3 , December 1999 , pp. 463 - 467
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press