Study on HBV DNA in breast milk in pregnant women with HBV carrier

Objective:To study the relationship between the load of HBV-DNA in serum and breast milk and the serum HBV makers of pregnant women with HBV carrier,to explore the infectivity of breast milk in pregnant women with HBV carrier.Methods:A total of 207 pregnant women with HBV carrier and their neonates entered the study.Serum HBVmarkers of the women were detected using electrical chemiluminescence immunoassay,the load of HBV-DNA in serum and breast milk of the women and in umbilical cord blood of the neonates were tested by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results:The positive rate of HBV-DNA in breast milk was 9.6% and 2.4% in HBeAg-positive mothers group and HBeAg-negative mothers group,respectively(χ2=4.027,P=0.045),the positive rate of HBV-DNA in breast milk was 12.5% and in mothers with HBV-DNA≥106 copies/ml and mothers with HBV-DNA106 copies/ml,respectively,the positive rate of HBV-DNA in umbilical cord blood was 15.17% and in neonates born to mothers with HBV-DNA ≥106 copies/ml and mothers with HBV-DNA106 copies/ml,respectively(P all0.001).Conclusion:For the pregnant women with HBV carrier,mothers with HBeAg positive or HBV-DNA≥106 copies/ml can increase the infectivity of breast milk.