Diagnosis and Management > Blood
Tests
Blood Tests
Be sure to carefully discuss your blood test results
with your health care provider. Understanding
your hepatitis B blood test results can be confusing, so
you want to be clear about your diagnosis - do you have
a new infection, have you recovered from a past infection,
or do you have a chronic infection?
You may want to take a copy of this information with you to
your appointment to use as a reference guide. In addition,
it is helpful if you request a written copy of your blood tests
so that you fully understand which test is positive or negative.
To understand your tests, you will need to understand
two basic medical terms:
- Antigen -a foreign substance in the body,
such as the hepatitis B virus.
- Antibody -a protein that your immune system
makes in response to a foreign substance. Antibodies
can be produced in response to a vaccine or a natural infection.
Antibodies usually protect you from future infection.
Common Hepatitis B Blood Tests
- HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) -
This refers to the outer surface of the hepatitis B virus
that triggers an antibody response. A "positive" or "reactive" HBsAg
test result means that the person is infected with the hepatitis
B virus. This can be an "acute" or a "chronic" infection.
Infected people can pass the virus on to others through their
blood.
- HBsAb or anti-HBs (hepatitis
B surface antibody) - This refers to the protective antibody
that is produced in response to an infection. It appears
when a person has recovered from an acute infection and cleared
the virus (usually within six months) or responded successfully
to the hepatitis B vaccine shots. A "positive" or "reactive" HBsAb
(or anti-HBs) test result indicates that a person is "immune" to
any future hepatitis B infection and is no longer contagious.
This test is not routinely included in blood bank screenings.
- HBcAb or anti-HBc (hepatitis
B core antibody) - This refers to an antibody that is produced
in response to the core-antigen, a component of the hepatitis
B virus. However, this is not a protective antibody. In fact,
it is usually present in those chronically infected with
hepatitis B. A "positive" or "reactive" HBcAb
(or anti-HBc) test result indicates a past or present infection,
but it could also be a false positive. The interpretation
of this test result depends on the first two test results.
Its appearance with the protective surface antibody (positive
HBsAb or anti-HBs) indicates prior infection and recovery.
For chronically infected persons, it will usually appear
with the virus (positive HbsAg).
|
Additional Information:
Download Patient Information
HBF Patient Information Booklet
Understanding
Hepatitis B Blood Tests
|