Paediatric Virology and its interaction between basic science and clinical practice (Review)

Mammas, Ioannis N.; Greenough, Anne; Theodoridou, Maria; Kramvis, Anna; Rusan, Maria; Melidou, Angeliki; Korovessi, Paraskevi; Papaioannou, Georgia; Papatheodoropoulou, Alexia; Koutsaftiki, Chryssie; Liston, Maria; Sourvinos, George; Spandidos, Demetrios A.

The prevention of MTCT of HBV and HCV is one of the 5 synergistic measures adopted by the 194 member states of the WHO in their commitment towards the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 (33) . The prevention of MTCT of HBV can be achieved in 99% of cases, by delivering the birth dose of the HBV vaccine within 24 h of birth. The risk of MTCT of HBV is highest in infants born to younger mothers, who are HBeAg-positive and with high viral loads. Vaccination with <3 doses is also a risk factor for MTCT of HBV. Testing pregnant women for HBsAg, treating those positive before delivery and administering the birth dose and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) to infants at birth can successfully prevent MTCT of HBV (34) . The rate of MTCT of HBV can be reduced by caesarian section delivery (35), with breast feeding not posing a risk factor for MTCT of HBV (36) . By contrast, neither the mode of delivery nor the type of feeding has been shown to be a risk factor for MTCT in the case of HCV (37) . HIV co-infection doubles the risk of MTCT of HCV (38) .