Aims:
The BaMBI NT- Babies and Mothers Hep B Investigation aims to identify a cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children born during the era of universal hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination at risk of maternal to child transmission of hepatitis B. This study will determine HBV sero-prevalence rates in these children and correlate this with timeliness of receipt of HBV vaccine, receipt of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) and maternal viral load. For children who have chronic HBV infection, this study will sequence hepatitis B virus in both mother and child to assess mode of HBV transmission (vertical or horizontal).
Objectives:
- Identify children born to HBsAg +ve women in the Top End from 1988-2013
- Determine the level of follow up management received since birth, in line with the recommendation in NT HBV guidelines.
- Facilitate the identification of and clinical assessment of children with chronic HBV infection as per the NT and national guidelines
Summary:
This study is necessary as the vaccine and HBIg are directed at the hepatitis B strain (genotype A2) compared to the circulating NT HBV strain (C4) and thus may not be as effective in the NT.
Implications for policy and practice:
By better understanding the risk of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HBV and the effectiveness of the vaccine in our setting, we can better inform vaccine policy and efforts to prevent MTCT. This project will provide data around the relative contribution of perinatal transmission vs. early childhood horizontal transmission in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
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Project dates:
The project commenced in 2016 and is ongoing.