Detecting hepatitis B vaccine escape mutant to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus

Abstract

The HBV vaccine works by stimulating the production of a particular antibody to HBV, called anti-HBsAg, which targets a surface antigen on the virus. ‘This is a neutralising antibody and plays a central role in protecting individuals against HBV’ explains Dr Haruki Komatsu, an Associate Professor in the Paediatric Department of Toho University Sakura Hospital in Japan. Along with Africa, the western Pacific region has the highest prevalence of hepatitis B in the world. Komatsu and colleagues are involved in the efforts to understand the transmission between mothers and children as well as why the vaccines sometimes fail. Investigations into the latter have shown the virus is mutating, creating ‘vaccine escape mutants’. These mutants have a change in the surface antigen that anti-HBsAg target, making them resistant to the vaccine.

Journal

Title: Impact

Abbreviated Title: impact

Publisher: Science Impact, Ltd.

ISSN (Print): 2398-7073

Publication date Created: December 31 2018

Publication date (Print): December 31 2018

Volume: 2018

Issue: 12

Pages: 6-8

Article

DOI: 10.21820/23987073.2018.12.6

Copyright statement: © 2018

License:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Product

Self URI (article page): https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/10.21820/23987073.2018.12.6