Hepatitis B Virus Infection and its associated risk factors in pregnant women in Upper Egypt: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted from mother to child during labor. This work aimed to assess the frequency of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity among pregnant women in Upper Egypt, to identify factors associated with virus acquisition, and to assess the predictors of anti-HBe seropositivity in pregnancy. Methods: This cross-sectional research was done on 300 pregnant women attending the Antenatal Care Unit of Sohag University Hospital from April 2022 to February 2023. Participants answered a survey about demographic information, HBV vaccination, and risk factors for transmission. Blood samples were tested for HBsAg. Positive samples were tested for transaminases, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), anti-HBe, and viral load. Results: Frequency of HBsAg seropositivity was 5.33%. HBV DNA was detectable in 56.25%, median of 437 IU/ml (48-719 IU/ml); all were HBeAg negative, anti-HBe was positive in 25%. The only statistically significant difference between HBsAg-positive and negative cases was the husband’s HBV infection (P = 0.005). The only statistically significant difference between anti-HBe positive and negative cases was quantitative HBsAg. One variable was significant using the univariate regression analysis (husband’s HBV infection); there was no need to do multivariate regression analysis, so the husband’s HBV infection was the only supposed risk factor for the mother’s HBsAg positivity. Conclusions: The frequency of HBsAg seropositivity in pregnant women is high in Upper Egypt, denoting the importance of HBV screening during pregnancy to decrease the risk of maternofetal transmission. The detection of anti-HBe in the sera of pregnant women should be interpreted cautiously.