95

IF~UNOPROPHYLAXIS CF PERINATAL TRANSMISSION CF THE HEPATITIS B VIRUS. EFFICACY TRIAL OF HEPATITIS B IF~K~E GLOBULIN AND HEPATITIS B VACCINE.

JI Esteban, J Genesc~, R Esteban, JM Hern~ndez, Maria Buti,J Guardia.

Departament of Internal Medicine. Ciudad Sanitaria Valle de Hebrdn. Universida Autdnoma Barcelona.08035. Barcelona.SPAIN.

One hundred newborn infants of Spanish HBsAg carrier mothers were assigned to one of three treatment groups. Group A was treated with three or four doses of Hepatitis B in~u- ne globulin (HBIG). Group B received hepatitis B vaccine (Hevac-B. Pasteur) at birth and at i, 2, and 12 montJ]s. Group C was treated as group B and a sir~le dose of HBIG at birth There were five transient infections among children who received only HBIG, one transient infection in group B and none in group C. All infection in group A occurred in the sub - groups who did not maintain protective antibodies during the first six months. Children who received only vaccine reached higher antibody levels .than those who also received HBI~

(p=0.01). Results suggest that any /rmnunization schedule able to maintain anti-HBs levels during th first six month of life would be usefull, in areas where most of the carrier women are ex pected to be anti-HBe positive.

96

HEPATITIS D VIRUS INFECTION AMONG HI~OPHILI~S

R Esteban,M Buti,J Tusell, L Vila,R Jardf,J Guardia. Departaments of Internal Medicine and Hematology.Ciudad Sanitaria Valle de F~br6n.Universidad Aut(~oma Barcelona. Spain

Prevalence of Hepatitis D virus infection has been found to be high a~ong hemophiliac HBsAg carriers in the two published reports.We ha%~ studied anti-HD antibodies in 88 hemophiliacs with positive Hepatitis B virus markers.As controls 177 chronic HBs~ non drug addicts carriers and 54 addicts chronic HBsAg carriers, were studied.Anti-m, anti-~Bs, anti-HBc and HBsAg were determined by RIA (Abbott). Fifteen patients were chronic HBsAg carriers,63 were both anti-HBc and anti-HBs positive 6 were anti-HBc and 3 anti-HBs positive only.Anti-FD was positive in 5 of the 15 (33%) HBsAg positive hemophiliacs and in 2 of the 63 with both anti-HBs and anti-HBc.Two of the anti-~9 had a severe chronic activ~ hepatitis with cirrhosis in one. Among HBsAg carriers with chronic liver disease who ~_re non addicts only 8 (5% ) were anti-HD positive, and among drug addicts 26 were positive (48 %). This findings confirm the two previous reports showing high ~ i) infection among chrcnic

positive hemophiliacs (33%).In our area Hepatitis D is restricted to drug addicts and hemophiliacs being very uncommcn in chronic HbSag positive liver disease anong non addicts.

$226