A study in Lancet Global Health led by Peyton Thompson, MD, MSCR, assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases, and Jonathan Parr, MD, MPH, assistant professor in adult infectious diseases, showed the feasibility and acceptance of hepatitis B virus testing, treatment, and vaccination programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains endemic throughout sub-Saharan Africa despite the widespread availability of effective childhood vaccines. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, HBV treatment and birth-dose vaccination programs are not established.
UNC School of Medicine researchers led a study to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of HBV testing and treatment of pregnant women, as well as birth-dose vaccination of HBV-exposed infants. This program was added to existing public health infrastructure to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HBV in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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