Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
HBV causes more than a million deaths annually worldwide every year.
Chronic HBV infection globally, occurs in 70% to 90% of infants born to mothers who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive.
About 94% of perinatal infections HBV could be prevented by vaccination and administration of hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 to 24 hours of birth. Also, high HBV DNA antiviral therapy in pregnant women reduces transmission to less than 1%.
Untreated chronic HBV progresses to cirrhosis (5-year risk of 8% to 15%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a 3% to 5% annual incidence of liver cancer once cirrhosis is established.
Antiviral therapies—pegylated interferon alfa and nucleos(t)ide analogues (entecavir or tenofovir)—suppress HBV DNA replication and reduce the risk of HCC by approximately 50%.
