(Geneva, 5 June 2021) Procedures to stop the direct transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from mom to baby, significantly throughout and after being pregnant, have important fragmentation and gaps, a brand new survey introduced on the sixth World Congress of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition has proven.
The outcomes, based mostly on 76 supply hospitals from ten main European nations*, recognized important variances in maternal HBV screening frequency throughout being pregnant: 53% within the first trimester, 1% within the second trimester and 46% within the third trimester. Alarmingly, solely 38% of these ladies who examined constructive with excessive HBV-DNA ranges have been handled through the last 12 weeks of being pregnant regardless of the overwhelming majority of centres (88%) having written protocols for stopping mother-to-child transmission of HBV an infection.
The prevention of direct transmission of HBV an infection from mom to baby is seen as a vital step in direction of lowering its incidence as a part of the World Health Organization (WHO) world well being sector technique for eliminating viral hepatitis as a significant public well being risk by 2030. If present traits proceed, 19 million hepatitis-related deaths are anticipated from 2015 to 2030.2 By figuring out the limitations and challenges, this analysis represents a key step in stopping this end result and in direction of full adherence to worldwide pointers throughout European nations.
The new survey additionally found that post-vaccination testing of infants from HBV constructive moms is offered in lower than half of centres, though 10-20% of vaccinated infants nonetheless purchase HBV when their moms had excessive ranges of the virus. This signifies that contaminated youngsters, regardless of being immunised, is probably not identified. This is especially important in instances the place the dedication of HBV standing happens within the third trimester, which can be too late to start out antiviral remedy in ladies with excessive HBV-DNA ranges. To compound this regarding revelation additional, inconsistency has been reported throughout all centres on the timing of the HBV vaccine schedule.
Lead writer on the analysis, Michele Pinon from the University of Turin, commented: ‘This survey gives a robust indication that important variance and gaps exist in hospital insurance policies and procedures to stop direct mother-to-child transmission of HBV throughout Europe. There is a transparent must implement a multidisciplinary scientific pathway involving obstetricians, neonatologists, and hepatologists, with a stronger connection between the phases earlier than, throughout and after beginning.’
The web-based survey, supported by Penta Foundation and distributed by INCIPIT (Italian Network for Paediatric Clinical Trials), was targeted on the prevention methods adopted earlier than, at, and after beginning. A single response was offered in response to the survey by probably the most skilled doctor(s) from every of the 76 taking part hospitals.
Speaking on the survey, Chair of the ESPGHAN Hepatology Committee, Giuseppe Indolfi, who was additionally concerned within the analysis, said, ‘The disjointed and inconsistent nature of practices for prevention of HBV vertical transmission throughout Europe revealed by this survey is a substantial trigger for concern. Procedures have to be rectified as quickly as potential as we construct in direction of attaining the WHO purpose to eradicate the specter of viral hepatitis by 2030.’
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*Countries: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Macedonia, UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria
Notes to Editors
For additional info, to talk to Michele Pinon or an ESPGHAN skilled, please contact Sean Deans at [email protected] or name +44 (0) 208 154 6396.
Please notice that any use of this press launch should reference each ESPGHAN and the sixth World Congress of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
INFOGRAPHICS
To view a high-resolution model of ESPGHAN’s Hepatitis B Virus infographic, please click here.
About the Expert
Michele Pinon is from the Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Italy.
About ESPGHAN
The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) is a multi-professional organisation whose goal is to advertise the well being of youngsters with particular consideration to the gastrointestinal tract, liver and dietary standing, by way of information creation, the dissemination of science based mostly info, the promotion of greatest follow within the supply of care and the availability of top quality training for paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and diet professionals in Europe and past. Find out extra by visiting http://www.
About the Virtual sixth World Congress
The Virtual sixth World Congress of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition is going down from 2-5 June 2021.
The Congress is joint hosted by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and the Federation of International Societies of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (FISPGHAN). The Congress, held each 4 years, brings collectively discipline specialists from across the globe to advertise worldwide cooperation and training within the fields of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
For extra details about the World Congress, together with to view the programme, please go to: http://www.
Follow ESPGHAN on Twitter: @ESPGHANSociety
References:
Pinon, M., et al. 2021. Hospital insurance policies and practices to stop vertical transmission of Hepatitis B virus an infection: a European survey. Presented on the sixth World Congress of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
World Health Organization. 2016. Combating Hepatitis B and C to Reach Elimination by 2030. Available at: https:/
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