[Experience with the screening of pregnant women for hepatitis B virus and the vertical transmission of the virus].

The authors started the checking for the hepatitis B virus in pregnant women of the town Ajka and its surroundings 10 years ago and then they extended it over the whole county. They examined 33,433 pregnant women from 1980 to 1990 and found that 0.5% of them were HBV carrier state (that is 169 persons), while in endemic territories they found a higher rate (0.74%). The existence of vertical transmission can be proved by the positive data of 120 infancy born to 72 symptomless HBV carrier mothers. The frequency of transmission is 4%. At the beginning of the check-up they gave passive then active-passive immunisation to the children born to carrier mothers. The results of immunisation were controlled by clinical and laboratory tests. They suggest that their worked-out check-up and care model--which is unique in Hungary in its kind and is also a part of the programme to prevent cancer--should be introduced all over the country.