Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen (HBs)

What sample will you take for  HBV surface antigen (HBs-antigen)?

1. This test is done on the patient’s serum.
2. ELIZA is more sensitive and specific than the screening method to confirm Hepatitis B infection.

What is the significance of  Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen (HBs)?

1. HBs antigen is used to screen donors’ blood.
2. This will give the status of the carrier.
3. This will be positive in the acute or chronic state.
4. It appears in 4 to 12 weeks and disappears in 1 to 3 months.
5. Donors with HBs antigen positive should never be allowed to donate blood or plasma.

Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen (HBs) is found in various conditions like:

Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen (HBs)	Percentage in the population
Blood donors	<0.1%
Multiple blood transfused patients	3.8%
Drug addicts	4.2%
Prevalence in the USA	0.25%
Chronic persistent hepatitis	50%
Chronic active hepatitis	25%
Cirrhosis patients	3%
Donor containing HBs antigen	HBs antigen appears in >70% of the recipients Needle prick from such blood causes hepatitis in 45% of the cases
When HBs antigen-positive carrier	60% to 80% will show some evidence of liver damage

Please see more details on viral hepatitis B.

---