ISSN:
1320159X
PUBLISHER:
Thomson Head Office Australia
About the Journal
The Journal of Law and Medicine (ISSN: 1320-159X) publishes
contributions
about
issues that have a legal, medical or bioethical content arising at the interface between
law
and
health, including the delivery of the full range of health services.
Its focus is broad, international and cross-disciplinary. It seeks to encourage informed
discourse about contemporary issues from empirical, practical, policy and theoretical
perspectives.
Since its inception in 1993, the Journal has published work by academics, practitioners
and
researchers from diverse fields, including leading researchers from many Australian, New
Zealand
and overseas universities and other academic institutions. All contributions to the
journal
are
peer reviewed by qualified experts who are independent of authors.
Scope of the Journal
Journal of Law & Medicine covers the following scopes:
- Medicine (All Fields)
- Nursing (All Fields)
- Pharmacy (All Fields)
- Drugs (All Fields)
- Physiotherapy (All Fields)
- Agriculture Medicine
- Law & Social Sciences
ISSN:
1320159X
PUBLISHER:
Thomson Head Office Australia
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Recently Published Issue
The Masked Threat of Pre-Core Mutants in Pregnancy: High Viral Replication Despite HBeAg Negativity in an Algerian Cohort ( http://doi.org/10.65613/742338)
2026
Abstract:
Background: Vertical transmission of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains the primary driver of chronic infection. Accurate assessment of maternal viral replication and timely prenatal screening are essential to prevent perinatal spread. This study investigated HBsAg seroprevalence, maternal clinico-biological profiles, transmission risk factors, and gestational screening timelines in pregnant women in Eastern Algeria.
Methods: A two-year retrospective cohort study (January 2024–December 2025) was conducted at the University Hospital Center Dr. Benbadis of Constantine, Algeria. Clinical, serological, molecular (quantitative real-time PCR), and biochemical parameters were collected from confirmed HBsAg-positive pregnant women and analyzed using SPSS v21.
Results: Among 10,135 pregnant women screened, 50 were confirmed HBsAg-positive (period prevalence: 0.49%). Mean maternal age was 32.5 years (54% aged 30–39 years), and 52% were multigravida. Primary exposure risk factors included invasive dental care (52%), prior surgery (26%), traditional hijama (18%), and blood transfusion (14%). Screening timing was critically delayed: 48% of cases were screened in the third trimester (27–40 weeks) and 8% at delivery. Serologically, 100% were total anti-HBc-positive, 32% HBeAg-positive, and 68% anti-HBe-positive. HBV DNA was quantified in 56% (n=28); among them, 20% of the total cohort exhibited high viremia (2 × 10⁴ to 2 × 10⁸ IU/mL) requiring antiviral prophylaxis, which was initiated with Tenofovir in 14%. Hepatic transaminases were normal in 82% and prothrombin time was preserved in 68% of patients.
Conclusion: Chronic HBV carriage in pregnant women in this cohort is characterized by a strong predominance of HBeAg-negative profiles yet high active viral replication driven by regional pre-core mutants. Relying solely on HBeAg screening is inadequate to stratify transmission risk. Late third-trimester diagnosis severely limits the therapeutic window for maternal antiviral prophylaxis. Universal first-trimester screening and routine access to quantitative HBV PCR are urgently required to eliminate vertical transmission.
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Editor-in-Chief
Professor Roy G Beran
University of New South Wales
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roy.g.beran@thomsonreuters-au.com
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