Hospitals Blamed for HBV Spread

[Guest guest]

" Hospitals Blamed for HBV Spread "

Daily Yomiuri (04/20/04) P. 2

Researchers at the Japanese Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry are

attributing at least 30 percent of all mother-to-child hepatitis B

infections in the country to the failure of doctors to administer the proper

preventive treatment at the time of birth. Since 1986, the ministry has

required medical institutions to test pregnant women for the virus and to

give infants both antiviral medicine and the hepatitis B vaccine immediately

following birth if the mother is infected. While these procedures have

substantially decreased the number of mother-to-child infections since that

time, a survey conducted by the ministry found that a number of institutions

are failing to follow through with the routine, resulting in 12 out of the

41 mother-to-child infections reported in 2000 and noted in the study. The

research team is recommending that obstetricians and pediatricians take more

steps to ensure the proper procedures are being followed at the appropriate

times to help prevent the further spread of the virus from mothers to their

babies

[Guest guest]

" Hospitals Blamed for HBV Spread "

Daily Yomiuri (04/20/04) P. 2

Researchers at the Japanese Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry are

attributing at least 30 percent of all mother-to-child hepatitis B

infections in the country to the failure of doctors to administer the proper

preventive treatment at the time of birth. Since 1986, the ministry has

required medical institutions to test pregnant women for the virus and to

give infants both antiviral medicine and the hepatitis B vaccine immediately

following birth if the mother is infected. While these procedures have

substantially decreased the number of mother-to-child infections since that

time, a survey conducted by the ministry found that a number of institutions

are failing to follow through with the routine, resulting in 12 out of the

41 mother-to-child infections reported in 2000 and noted in the study. The

research team is recommending that obstetricians and pediatricians take more

steps to ensure the proper procedures are being followed at the appropriate

times to help prevent the further spread of the virus from mothers to their

babies

[Guest guest]

" Hospitals Blamed for HBV Spread "

Daily Yomiuri (04/20/04) P. 2

Researchers at the Japanese Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry are

attributing at least 30 percent of all mother-to-child hepatitis B

infections in the country to the failure of doctors to administer the proper

preventive treatment at the time of birth. Since 1986, the ministry has

required medical institutions to test pregnant women for the virus and to

give infants both antiviral medicine and the hepatitis B vaccine immediately

following birth if the mother is infected. While these procedures have

substantially decreased the number of mother-to-child infections since that

time, a survey conducted by the ministry found that a number of institutions

are failing to follow through with the routine, resulting in 12 out of the

41 mother-to-child infections reported in 2000 and noted in the study. The

research team is recommending that obstetricians and pediatricians take more

steps to ensure the proper procedures are being followed at the appropriate

times to help prevent the further spread of the virus from mothers to their

babies

[Guest guest]

" Hospitals Blamed for HBV Spread "

Daily Yomiuri (04/20/04) P. 2

Researchers at the Japanese Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry are

attributing at least 30 percent of all mother-to-child hepatitis B

infections in the country to the failure of doctors to administer the proper

preventive treatment at the time of birth. Since 1986, the ministry has

required medical institutions to test pregnant women for the virus and to

give infants both antiviral medicine and the hepatitis B vaccine immediately

following birth if the mother is infected. While these procedures have

substantially decreased the number of mother-to-child infections since that

time, a survey conducted by the ministry found that a number of institutions

are failing to follow through with the routine, resulting in 12 out of the

41 mother-to-child infections reported in 2000 and noted in the study. The

research team is recommending that obstetricians and pediatricians take more

steps to ensure the proper procedures are being followed at the appropriate

times to help prevent the further spread of the virus from mothers to their

babies