Infectious Diseases

Question 1

What is the risk of vertical transmission of hepatitis B?

Answer 1

In the absence of neonatal vaccination, transmission rates (from mother to neonate) are 5-20% where mothers are HBsAg + and HBeAg -, and 70-90% where mothers are HBsAg + and HBeAg +

Question 2

What is the Rx of Echinococcus granulosus?

Answer 2

Albendazole

Question 3

a) What factors increase the risk of vertical transmission of Hep B?
b) How do you minimise risk of transmission?

Answer 3

a) Mothers who have concurrent HBeAg positive (risk 90%) and/or a high viral load (HBV DNA >200,000 IU (106 copies)/mL)) have a transmission risk of 8-30%
b) Infants of mothers with Hepatitis B infection (HBsAg +) receive immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and vaccine on the day of birth (preferably, or within 7 days), which reduces the risk of vertical transmission by more than 95%