Differences between Chronically Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Pregnant Women with and without Intrafamilial Infection: From Viral Gene Sequences to Clinical Manifestations.

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate the differences between pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and intrafamilial infection and those without intrafamilial infection.

METHODS

HBV-DNA was extracted from the sera of 16 pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and their family members for gene sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. A total of 74 pregnant women with CHB were followed up from the second trimester to 3 months postpartum. Viral markers and other laboratory indicators were compared between pregnant women with CHB with and without intrafamilial infection.

RESULTS

The phylogenetic tree showed that HBV lines in the mother-spread pedigree shared a node, whereas there was an unrelated genetic background for HBV lines in individuals without intrafamilial infection. From delivery to 3 months postpartum, compared with those without intrafamilial infection, pregnant women with intrafamilial infection were related negatively to HBV-DNA (β = -0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.76 to -0.12, p = 0.009), HBeAg (β = -195.15, 95% CI: -366.35 to -23.96, p = 0.027), and hemoglobin changes (β = -8.09, 95% CI: -15.54 to -0.64, p = 0.035) and positively to changes in the levels of alanine aminotransferase (β = 73.9, 95% CI: 38.92-108.95, p < 0.001) and albumin (β = 2.73, 95% CI: 0.23-5.23, p = 0.033).

CONCLUSION

The mother-spread pedigree spread model differs from that of non-intrafamilial infections. Pregnant women with intrafamilial HBV infection have less hepatitis flares and liver damage, but their HBV-DNA and HBeAg levels rebound faster after delivery, than those without intrafamilial infection by the virus.