HBV infection among rural pregnant women attending a tertiary CARE HOSPITAL

Back ground: Hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) is one of the most important community health problems and also one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. In endemic areas, HBV infection occurs mainly during infancy and early childhood, with mother to child transmission (MTCT) accounting for approximately half of the transmission routes of chronic HBV infections. Objective: The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of chronic HBV infection among rural antenatal mothers registered at Adichunchanagiri Hospital and Research centre, Bellur . Method: Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) was determined as a serological marker for the viral infection among pregnant women. Blood samples collected from the study population under standard procedure were investigated for Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) by Rapid Immunochromatography test and positive samples were further confirmed by commercially available ELISA kit. Results: Of the total 200 antenatal women, 03 were found to be positive for HBsAg (1.5%). All the pregnant women who were positive were in the age group of 15-25 years and in first trimester. Conclusion: Hepatitis B is highly infectious, associated with maternal complications and transmission to the child. It is mandatory that all the antenatal women should be screened for HBsAg and appropriately managed.