[Prevalence of hepatitis B (Hbs Ag, Hbe Ag, DNA) and delta virus markers, in about 10,000 pregnant women in Limoges (France)].

The risk of perinatal B virus transmission is well known, but is estimated in France on results obtained from blood donors or from urban populations. In the present study, the screening of HBs Ag was carried out during five years (1984-1988), within a sample population of pregnant women (french women: 8,364, immigrant women: 1,206) seen in the university hospital of Limoges. Positive sera for HBs Ag were also tested for the other markers of B virus including specific DNA, and markers of the delta virus. The total seroprevalence of HBs Ag among these women was 0.54%, and was significantly higher in the immigrant women group (2.57%) when compared to that of french women (0.25%). During the same period (1984-1988), the seroprevalence among females blood donor was 0.03%. Among the HBs Ag chronic carrier pregnant women (n = 52), 27% were HBe Ag positive and four of them (31%) had viral DNA in their serum. Viral DNA was found in three women who were HBe Ag negative. Thirteen per cent of the HBs Ag positive pregnant women were infected by the delta virus.