Risks of Viral Hepatitis B Transmission in Mother-to-Infant of Pregnant Women Carriers of Chronic Viral Hepatitis B in Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors of mother-to-child transmission of HBV in positive Ag Hbs pregnant women in Cote d’Ivoire. Methods: This was a transversal prospective study that took place over a period of 7 months (from February 2016 to August 2016) in 2 university hospital and 2 private clinics. We consecutively recruited 91 pregnant women who were positive for HBs Ag in prenatal consultations. For each pregnant woman record included in the study, we provided Socio-demographic (Age, marital status, education level, social rank, gravidity, parity) and biological data (HBs Ag, Anti-HBc Total Ac, Hbe Ag, Ac anti-Hbe Ac, DNA-VHB, Ac anti-HCV Ac, retroviral serology, transaminases). All of these data were collected using a survey sheet developed for the study. Results: The age of our pregnant women HBs positive ranged from 18 years to 44 years with a mean age of 30.10 years. The age group from 20 to 39 years was the most represented with a frequency of 92.31%. Almost of all positive HBs Ag pregnant women was HBe Ag negative, only 3.3% was HBe Ag positive. The viral load above 2000 IU/ml was found in 21 (23.03%) patients. There were 4 co-infected patients, which 3 HBV-HIV and 1 HBV-HCV. Only 19 (20.88%) pregnant HBs Ag positive women were able to bring back the supplementary virological assessment within a period less than one month. Conclusion: According to our work the virologic profile of positive HBs Ag in pregnant women in Cote d’Ivoire is characterized by an important viral replication objectified by a high viral load in about 23% pregnant women, a negativity of HBe antigen in 96.6% of them.