Factors affecting clearance of hepatitis B e antigen in hepatitis B surface antigen carrier children

doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(89)80836-4

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 115, Issue 3, September 1989, Pages 385-390

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(89)80836-4 Get rights and content

To understand the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in children, we studied factors affecting the clearance of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). One hundred sixty–nine apparently healthy children whose sera were positive for HBeAg and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and who were recruited by screening were followed prospectively to delineate the HBeAg clearance rate. Another 59 carrier children visiting the outpatient clinic because of symptoms or abnormal liver function were studied for comparison. The annual HBeAg clearance rate was low (<2%) during the first 3 years of life but increased with age. The HBeAg clearance rate in children older than 6 years of age was lower in those whose mothers had HBsAg positivity (14.3%) than in those whose mothers had no detectable HBsAg (35.3%). Children who were brought for medical care had higher HBeAg clearance rates (42.4%) than those who were recruited by screening (14.6%) because immune clearance of hepatitis B virus and hence HBeAg often led to hepatocellular damage manifested by abnormal liver function profiles or by symptoms that had caused the parents to seek medical care for their children. We conclude that age, source of subject recruitment, and maternal HBsAg status are important factors affecting HBeAg clearance rate in HBsAg carriers.

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^*: Supported by National Science Council grant No. NSC 76-0610-B002-99and by a grant from the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Republic of China.

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Original articleFactors affecting clearance of hepatitis B e antigen in hepatitis B surface antigen carrier children*

Gastroenterology

J Hepatol

Gastroenterology

J Pediatr

A new antigen complex cooccurring with Australia antigen

Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand (B)

Dane particle-associated DNA polymerase and e antigen: relation to chronic hepatitis among carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen

J Infect Dis

Clinical, virologic, and histologic outcome following seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe in chronic hepatitis type B

Hepatology

Natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Taiwan: studies of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum

Hepatology

Baseline seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in children in Taipei, 1984: a study just before mass hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan

J Med Virol

Vertical transmission of hepatitis B antigen in Taiwan

N Engl J Med

Epidemiological study on hepatitis B virus infection in Taiwan

Chinese J Gastroenterol

Original article
Factors affecting clearance of hepatitis B e antigen in hepatitis B surface antigen carrier children*