Hepatitis B virus prevalence and transmission in the households of pregnant women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite routine infant vaccination and blood donor screening, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has high hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence compared to the United States and Europe. Through the cross-sectional Horizontal and Vertical Transmission of Hepatitis B (HOVER-HBV) study, we characterized household prevalence in DRC's capital, Kinshasa, to inform additional prevention efforts.

Methods

We introduced HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) screening alongside existing HIV screening as part of routine antenatal care (ANC) in high-volume maternity clinics in Kinshasa. We recruited households of pregnant women who were HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative, defining households as "exposed" and "unexposed," respectively. Household members underwent HBsAg testing and an epi

SUBMITTER: Morgan CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10705650 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature