ABSTRACT
In order to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV), 1459 serum samples from pregnant/parturient women were collected at two public hospitals in Goiânia, GO. These samples were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for HBsAg and anti-HBs. 109 (7.5 per cent) serum samples were positive. Eight (0.5 per cent) sera were positive for HBsAg and 101 (7.0 per cent) for anti-HBs. Viral positivity for both HBsAg and anti-HBs were observed in women which age ranged from 15 to 30 years. Four newborns from HBsAg positive mothers were submitted to the treatment with HBV vaccine (Engerix B) and with hyperimmune gammaglobulin (HBIG, Abbott Laboratories, Brazil). Cord blood from one of the newborns was positive for HBsAg. A positive association was found between hepatitis B and sexually transmitted infections and blood transfusion. These results emphasize the need for prenatal screening for HBV in pregnant women and treatment of the newborns from AgHBs-positive mothers.