Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B in Vanuatu

The ‘Protektem Pikinini Blong Yu’ (PPBY) study in Vanuatu is a real-world field trial that aims to develop the evidence for a treat-all approach to preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B. 

PPBY will recruit hepatitis B pregnant women into an intervention and control arm. In the intervention arm, hepatitis B-infected pregnant women will receive antiviral prophylaxis during pregnancy. In the control arm, hepatitis B-infected pregnant women will not receive any intervention. In both groups, infants born to hepatitis B-infected pregnant women and their infants will be followed up until 6-12 months of age to determine the number that are infected with hepatitis B.

The study includes a broader range of embedded sub-studies that focus on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, including:

• understanding of hepatitis B among infected pregnant women and their families
• acceptability of midwife-delivered care in remote island settings
• adherence to, and predictors of, tenofovir use during pregnancy
• evaluation of educational resources to educate hepatitis B-infected mothers about hepatitis B
• evaluation of training resources to train nurses and midwives on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B
• uptake of the hepatitis B birth dose and completion of the hepatitis B.

We have opportunities for PhD students to join the study and develop thesis proposals that sit within the broader program of work. We have opportunities for MSc/MPH students to use the quantitative cohort data to address defined research questions as part of a research project.

The student will work with the Pacific Infectious Diseases (Surveillance, Operational Research and Resilience) Working Group, the Burnet Institute in Vanuatu project office, and research partners in Vanuatu.