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

Abstract

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.

Prevention and Management of Viral Hepatitis in Pregnancy

“…72 The true incidence of HDV during pregnancy is unknown, as estimates quoted in the literature originate from countries where HBV is endemic. [74][75][76] In a recent study from Africa, 14.7% of HBV-positive gravidas were coinfected with HDV. 74 Clinical Outcomes (Pregnancy, Maternal, Infant)…”

Prevalence of Hepatitis C, HIV, and Risk Behaviors for Blood-Borne Infections: A Population-Based Survey of the Adult Population of T'bilisi, Republic of Georgia

“…1 Although the magnitude of the epidemic is well characterized in industrialized countries, little is known about the burden of disease in many developing countries, including in many of the republics of the former Soviet Union. Recent reports from Russia and other former Soviet republics have documented high but heterogeneous HCV prevalence rates among injection drug users (IDU) and other non-IDU groups, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] suggesting the presence of an ongoing, but as yet poorly characterized, HCV epidemic.…”

Seroprevalance of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Hepatitis D in Children Between 0-18 Years of Age Attenting to Our Hospital

“…HDV seroprevalence rates in the pediatric age group in some countries are as follows: 18% in Greenland (2007); 6.1% in Mongolia (2006) and 0.9% in Moldovia (1994) (43)(44)(45). Hepatitis B vaccination program conducted in our country just as in other countries with low seroprevalence rates, studies carried out towards preventing the transmission of viral hepatitis and increase in the socio-economic level are believed to make hepatitis B and hepatitis D no longer a problem in the future.…”