Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Pregnant Women in Northeastern Romania

Blood-borne pathogens like hepatitis B virus (HBV) have been a major cause of human sickness and significant economic drain worldwide. Current vaccination programs are based on levels of infection in the population. Romanian orphanages were found to have children with high levels of HBV. This paper reports the findings of a serological survey for HBV in pregnant Romanian women. Blood was taken from 573 women surveyed. Each blood sample was tested for antibodies to the HBV core antigen by radioimmunoassay. Data were statistically assessed using the Z-test the Chi-square and the Chi-square for trend. 162/573 women (28%) had a current or past HBV infection. 48/573 women (8.4%) were considered HBV carriers as they tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). In Romania HBV infections are common in women giving birth. It is for this reason that a large-scale vaccination program should be a major public health priority. HBV vaccination could be incorporated into the existing routine childhood immunization schedules.