Minnesota Perinatal Hepatitis B Program and Statistics

We implemented a perinatal hepatitis B prevention program in 1990. Our goal is to identify and treat infants born to hepatitis B-positive people in an effort to prevent perinatally acquired infection. The benefits of this cost-effective strategy are preventing potential long-term health consequences for the child and eliminating a potential source of infection to others in the future.

The program provides case management to infants born to hepatitis B positive people. Of these infants, over 99% received treatment (consisting of vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin) at birth.

Hepatitis B is transmitted very efficiently from an infected birthing parent to the infant at birth. If infected, up to 90% of babies will develop chronic hepatitis B infection which can lead to liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer and even death. Treatment initiated within 12 hours after birth is up to 94% effective at preventing this serious infection. Prevention efforts depend upon maintaining high treatment rates.

Disease Control Newsletter (DCN)

Disease Control Newsletter (DCN) is MDH's surveillance information on certain communicable diseases in Minnesota.

• Disease Control Newsletter (DCN)
  The DCN archives available on the web include 1997-2022.