effect of hepatitis B surface antigen in carrier mothers on immunoglobulin E concentration of the newly born

ABSTRACT

Viral hepatitis is a worldwide major public health problem and transmission of hepatitis B virus from the mother to the infant occurs when the mother is a chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carrier or had acute hepatitis B during pregnancy [Sacher al., 1985]. This study included 2 groups of parturient women at term pregnancy. The first group included 15 women with positive HBsAg and the second group included 30 women negative for HBsAg as a control group. The IgE concentration in the sera of the neonates of the study group ranged from 1.8 to 36 with a mean of 9.7 +/- 8.79 Iu/ml. While the concentration in the control group ranged from 4 to 106 with a mean of 20.0 +/- 20.05 Iu/ml. The levels were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group. This might have a correlation with the future occurrence of allergy later on in life