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© 1988 Oxford University Press

research-article

Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Ethiopia with Emphasis on the Importance of Vertical Transmission

EDEMARIAM TSEGA*, MOLLA TSEGA**, BIRU MENGESHA*, ERIK NORDENFELT{dagger}, BENGT-GORAN HANSSON{dagger} and JOHAN LINDBERG{ddagger}

*Department of Internal Medicine, Black Lion Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
**Gandhi Memorial Hospital (Obstetrics & Gynaecology) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
{dagger}Section of Clinical Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Malmo General Hospital Malmo, Sweden
{ddagger}Department of Infectious Diseases, Ostra Hospital, University of Gotteborg Gotteborg, Sweden

Tsega E (Department of Internal Medicine, Black Lion Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), Tsega M, Mengesha B, Nordenfelt E, Hansson B-G and Lindberg J. Transmission of hepatitis B virus infection in Ethiopia with emphasis on the importance of vertical transmission. International Journal of Epidemiology 1988, 1. 874–879.

This two-year controled study was conducted to define the mode of transmission of hepatitis B infection in Ethiopia. Twenty-five of 500 (5%) expectant mothers were identified as HbsAg positive (Group A). A control group of 29 mothers negative for HBsAg (Group B) was randomly selected. These 54 mothers and their families (husbands, infants and the infants' older siblings) were followed for two years with determinations of serological markers of ongoing or past hepatitis B virus infection at 6, 12 and 24 months. Social and clinical data as well as possible factors contributing to the spread of HBV (ie tattoos, circumcision, etc.) were complied from questionnaires. Twenty-one of the 25 (84%) HBsAg positive mothers had anti-HBe and none had HBeAg. One case of vertical hepatitis B virus transmission was seen while horizontal transmission during the study period occurred in two infants and in two older siblings. Potential risk factors for non-perinatal transmission were highly prevalent in both groups and may represent the main route of transmitting the infection, while, as shown in the present study, the vertical transmission of HBV infection only plays a minor role in the maintenance of the high infection rate in Ethiopia.

Vaccinating all babies soon after birth would, therefore, be an effective means of eradicating or reducing the hepatitis B virus infection and its sequelae.

Received 1 October 1987


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