This DNA can form incomplete double strand DNA through DNA polymerase. but there was no significant difference between HBIG group and lamivudine group (P> 0.05). No side effects were found in all the pregnant women or their newborns. CONCLUSION: The risk of HBV intrauterine infection can be effectively reduced by administration of HBIG or Lamivudine in the 3rdtrimester of HBsAg positive pregnant women. == INTRODUCTION == It is of vital importance to interrupt the transmission of viral hepatitis B from mother to fetus in control of its prevalence[1-3], including HBV intrauterine infection[4-7]. This study investigated the effect of administration of HBIG (im.) and lamivudine (po.) on the interruption of HBV intrauterine infection from the 3rdtrimester of GW 501516 gestation. == MATERIALS AND METHODS == == Subjects == One hundred and fifty one pairs of women and their newborns who followed the antepartum care were selected and admitted for labor in our hospital from January of 1999 to December of 2001. These pregnant women were HBsAg positive, with normal liver and kidney function. Serial tests were negative for HAV, HCV, HDV and HEV in these women and no other severe complications were found and no other drugs, including the ones that were studied, anti-virus, cytotoxic, steroid hormones, or immune regulating drugs were administrated. The patients were randomly allocated into 3 groups. There were 56 patients in the HBIG group (22 were both HBsAg and HBeAg positive) and 43 in the lamivudine group (33 were both HBsAg and HBeAg positive). There were 52 patients in the control group (17 were both HBsAg and HBeAg positive). No significant differences were found in age, race, time of gestation and parturition, gestational age, way of delivery, and incidence of threatened abortion, threatened labor or pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome (PIH). The 151 pregnant women delivered 151 newborns. == Methods == Patients in the HBIG group were administered HBIG 200IU intramuscularly (im.) from 28-wk of gestation, once every 4 wk till labor. Patients in the lamivudine group were GW 501516 administered 100 mg (po.) lamivudine orally daily till the 30thday after labor. Patients in the control group were given no specific treatment. Blood specimens were tested for HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBV-DNA in all the subjects at 28-wk and before delivery, and their newborns (blood from the femoral vein) 24 h before administration of immune prophylaxis. HBsAg and HBeAg were assessed by ELISA, the assay kits were produced by Zhongshan Biological and Engineering Co. Ltd. HBV-DNA was assessed by fluorogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR), and the assay kits were produced by Daan Gene Diagnosis Center, Sun Yat-Sen University. Before the administration of positive and/or active prophylaxis at 24 h after delivery, intrauterine HBV infection would be considered if HBsAg and/or HBeAg were tested positive in neonatal peripheral blood. == Statistics == Thet-test and2test were used to analyze our data using Excel software. Statistical significance was set atP< 0.05. HBV DNA values were expressed as x s, and neonatal intrauterine HBV infection rates were expressed as percentage of total cases in each group. == RESULTS == == Changes of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA == HBsAg turned negative in 1 case of the HBIG group, but HBeAg turned negative in no Rabbit Polyclonal to CEBPZ case. HBsAg and HBeAg turned negative in 1 case of the lamivudine GW 501516 group. No cases turned negative of HBsAg or HBeAg in the control group. Before administration of agents, there was no significant difference in the values of HBV DNA among 3 groups (P> 0.05). But there was significant difference between the values of HBV DNA in HBIG group and lamivudine group after administration of either reagent respectively (both values reduced,P< 0.05). The reduction of value before and after administration of the reagents was significantly different between the administered groups and control group (P< 0.05). (Table1). == Table 1. == Comparison of HBV DNA values before and after.