Detection of hepatitis B virus in perinatal transmission by nested polymerase chain reaction

high sensitive method of nested-polymerase chain reaction(Nested-PCR)was estab-lished to detect HBV-DNA in peripheral serum from 169 HBsAg or HBsAg/HBeAg positivepregnant women and their neonates。Positive of HBV-DNA was 72.8% in 103 positive of HB-sAg mothers and 33.0% in their neOnates.In the other 66 both HBsAg and HBeAg positivemothers and their neonates,the HBV-DNA positive was 86.4% and 43.9%,Fifty five samplesof the colostrum from 169 HBsAg or HBsAg/HBeAg positive mothers were detected,the HBV-DNA was found in 20 mothers.These results suggested the e antigen was important in HBV peri-natal transmission.Additional detection was made in 105 cases of 6 months infants from atoveneonates after injection of NBV vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin,23 positive samples werefound in serum。