Sebahat CAM
Marmara Medical Journal - 2026;39(3):1-6
Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, transmission routes, and outcomes of children with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and compare patients born before and after the national vaccination program. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 387 children aged 0-18 years diagnosed with chronic HBV infection between 2006 and 2025. Patients were divided into pre-vaccination (born <=1997) and post-vaccination (born >=1998) groups. Demographic, clinical, and serological data were analyzed. Results: The number of diagnosed cases declined markedly over time, with 375 cases identified between 2006-2015 compared with 12 cases between 2016-2025 (p<0.001). Family screening was the most common mode of diagnosis (54.5%). In the post-vaccination group, all patients had HBV-positive mothers (p<0.001). Sixty-three patients (16.3%) received interferon/antiviral therapy. Anti-HBe seroconversion occurred in 46% of treated patients and spontaneously in 6.8% (22/324). No patient developed hepatic failure or cirrhosis during follow-up; however, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurred in one patient lost to follow-up. Conclusion: The national HBV vaccination program has substantially reduced pediatric chronic HBV cases. Vertical transmission remains the main source of new infections, highlighting the importance of antenatal screening, maternal management, and prompt neonatal immunoprophylaxis.
