Hepatitis-Associated Antigen (Australia Antigen) in Mother and Infant

Irvin L. Schweitzer, M.D., and Robert L. Spears, M.D.

N Engl J Med 1970; 283:570-572September 10, 1970
Abstract

In two mothers hepatitis-associated-antigen-positive, viral hepatitis developed one month post partum. Their infants were also positive for the antigen; one infant remained positive for over seven months without signs of hepatitis. The other had biochemical signs of hepatitis but remained clinically well.

In two other women antigen-positive viral hepatitis developed late in pregnancy, and they were positive at the time of delivery. The umbilical-cord bloods and the serums of the neonates were negative for the antigen. One of these infants became positive at seven weeks of age.

These data suggest that hepatitis-associated antigen need not cross the placental barrier to be transmitted from mother to infant, and that it may be present in an infant for long periods without causing hepatitis.


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1699-0463.1973.tb02184...
http://books.google.com/books?id=H5krAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA212&lpg=...
http://bmb.oxfordjournals.org/content/28/2/109.extract