Research published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology found that a newly developed hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) rapid diagnostic test (RDT) has potential in detecting hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA concentrations in women who should be prioritized for antiviral prophylaxis. The authors noted their optimism in this method an an alternative for timely identification of pregnant individuals who are at a high risk of transmitting HBV.1
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Hepatitis B is a viral disease that affects the liver and can lead to severe complications, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. According to experts, there are over 254 million people living with hepatitis B who can potentially transmit the virus and more than 1.1 million hepatitis B-related deaths every year. In countries with limited…