HBeAg seroconversion in children infected during early childhood with hepatitis B virus

• Published in: Journal of clinical virology Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 30 - 33
• Main Authors: Roushan, Mohammad Reza Hasanjani, Bijani, Ali, Ramzaninejad, Sodeh, Roushan, Mahbobeh Hasanjani, Amiri, Mohammad Jafar Soleimani, Baiani, Masomeh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Allergy and Immunology; Anti-HBe; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Childhood; Chronic HBV; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HBeAg; Hepatitis Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis Antibodies - immunology; Hepatitis B e Antigens - blood; Hepatitis B e Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B virus - immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - virology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Prospective Studies; Seroconversion; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Virology; Anti-HBe; Chronic HBV; Seroconversion; HBeAg; Childhood; Human; Orthohepadnavirus; Hepatic disease; Serology; Infection; Virus; Hepatitis B e antigen; Viral hepatitis B; Chronic; Mother; Hepadnaviridae; Follow up study; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; Hepatitis B virus; Child
• ISSN: 1386-6532; 1873-5967; 1873-5967
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2012.05.007

Seroconversion of hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) to anti-HBe is associated with lower viral load and liver diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the seroconversion rate of HBeAg to anti-HBe in children who acquired hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during early childhood. From September 1990 to December 2010, 139 HBeAg-positive children were followed up. Eighty-one subjects were of failure of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and hepatitis B vaccine at birth and 58 children <10 years of age who were born before 1990 did not receive HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine. HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBe were assessed every 6 months. Sixty-two (44.6%) cases were males and 77 (55.4%) were females. The mean duration of follow-up was 18±6.6 years. Twenty-four (17.3%) mothers were HBeAg positive and 115 (82.7%) were anti-HBe positive. Eighty-two (59%) children became anti-HBe positive. The seroconversion rates in the first, second and third decades were 25%, 63.4% and 70.5%, respectively (p<0.001). The children of anti-HBe-positive mothers had a higher seroconversion rate than the HBeAg-positive mothers (75% vs. 33.9%, p<0.0001). Time to seroconversion in children born to HBeAg-positive mothers was similar to those born to anti-HBe positive mothers (hazard ratio (HR)=1.03, p=0.973). Time to seroconversion in children who received hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG was shorter than those who did not (HR=6.35, p<0001). HBeAg seroconversion in the second and the third decades was higher than that in the first decade. Children born to anti-HBeAg-positive mothers and those who received HBIG and hepatitis B vaccine had higher seroconversion rates.