Evaluating vertical transmission of sexually transmitted infections to newborns

Funding Information: The authors are grateful to the parturients who participated in the study. We also want to thank the staff of the INM, particularly the nurses’ team. The study was supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Portugal) through a scholarship assigned to the corresponding author (grant number 135499). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Oliveira et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections are among the most frequent infections affecting pregnant women. We assessed the transmission of hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and Treponema pallidum to newborns from infected parturients. Methodology: An observational, cross-sectional, analytical facility-based survey was conducted among 57 newborns in Irene Neto Maternity, Lubango city, Huíla province, Angola. Hepatitis B virus DNA molecular identification was done through nested PCR. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 proviral DNA detection was carried out by two successive nested PCRs. Real-time PCR was performed to examine the presence of T. pallidum DNA. Amplicons from PCR positive samples were sequenced for identity search and genotype assignment. Results: Hepatitis B virus DNA genotype E was detected in 3/41 (7.3%) newborns from HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) positive mothers. To analyse the association between mothers HBeAg (hepatitis B e antigen) positivity and hepatitis B virus vertical transmission to newborns, a Fisher's exact test was performed, showing a highly significant association (p = 0.006). Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 provirus or T. pallidum DNA was not detected in any newborn. Conclusions: To prevent hepatitis B virus vertical transmission in Angola it is important to promote universal antenatal screening, expanding hepatitis B virus markers (viral load and/or HBeAg), risk-based infected mothers' antiviral therapy and newborn passive immunoprophylaxis.publishersversionpublishe