Vertical transmission rate range for hepatitis E infection is:

Vertical transmission rate range for hepatitis E infection is:

• A. 1-5%
• B. 10-20%
• C. 23-50%
• D. 60-80%

Answer: (C)

Vertical transmission means the virus passes from mother to baby during pregnancy or delivery. For hepatitis E, this transmission is not rare, especially with certain genotypes seen in outbreaks, and it can lead to neonatal infection and adverse outcomes. Across studies, the documented rate at which infants acquire HEV from an infected mother varies, but it is typically in the range of about one-quarter to one-half of cases. That’s why the 23–50% range is considered the best summary of the perinatal transmission risk for hepatitis E. This range acknowledges the variability seen with different genotypes, geographic settings, and timing of the maternal infection. The other ranges are less accurate because they either underestimate the observed transmission in many studies (1–5% or 10–20%) or overstate it for most populations (60–80%), which is not representative of the general risk in affected cohorts.

Vertical transmission means the virus passes from mother to baby during pregnancy or delivery. For hepatitis E, this transmission is not rare, especially with certain genotypes seen in outbreaks, and it can lead to neonatal infection and adverse outcomes. Across studies, the documented rate at which infants acquire HEV from an infected mother varies, but it is typically in the range of about one-quarter to one-half of cases. That’s why the 23–50% range is considered the best summary of the perinatal transmission risk for hepatitis E. This range acknowledges the variability seen with different genotypes, geographic settings, and timing of the maternal infection.

The other ranges are less accurate because they either underestimate the observed transmission in many studies (1–5% or 10–20%) or overstate it for most populations (60–80%), which is not representative of the general risk in affected cohorts.