[Hepatitis B screening in late pregnancy and results of immunization in newborn infants].

Screening for hepatitis Bs antigen in late pregnancy was introduced in mid-1983 at the University Women's Hospital, Berne. 4118 pregnant women had been investigated by the end of 1986, of whom 26 (0.63%) turned out to be HBsAg positive. The prevalence of HBsAg carriers was 0.12% in Swiss women, 0.65% in other European women, 12.5% in women from the Far East and 5.6% and 4.9% in women from the Near East and Africa respectively. Newborns of HBsAg positive mothers simultaneously received hepatitis B immunoglobulin (400 IU anti-HBs) and a first injection of hepatitis B vaccine (Hevac B 5 mg) in the first hours of life, followed by vaccinations after two, three and twelve months. Of 18 children investigated after the first year of life none was HBsAg positive. 14 children (78%) were shown to have HBs antibodies. Two of the four anti-HBs-negative unfortunately received only the first vaccine injection after birth. Taking this fact into account, the "success rate" of the immunoprophylaxis is 88%.