Hepatitis B: new rapid diagnostic test to limit mother-to-child transmission

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, in collaboration with Kumamoto University in Japan, have assessed a new rapid diagnostic test that measures the risk of pregnant women transmitting hepatitis B to their children. This diagnostic tool could help eliminate hepatitis B by limiting mother-to-child transmission during childbirth, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Hepatitis B is a liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is the second-leading infectious cause of death globally after tuberculosis. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HBV is crucial for global elimination of hepatitis B. The results were published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
 
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