HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN

LAB471

7 mL Red Top Tube

2.0 mL

Grossly hemolyzed or contaminated samples

Set Up:Monday - Friday;  Report Available:Same day

Non Reactive

Patients with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are expected to possess three or more HBV markers during the course of infection. The presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), the first serologic marker detectable, has been accepted as the most practical indicator of infection. A second marker, Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), appears shortly after HBsAg and usually persists for a lifetime. Anti-HBs generally appears 2-16 weeks after HBsAg is no longer detectable. In the absence of both anti-HBs and HBsAg, the core antibody is the best indicator of a recent acute HBV infection. When this occurs, these patients are said to be in the core window. Particular care should be taken with the patient who demonstrates a persistence of HBsAg and Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) for 8 to 10 weeks or longer following the initial diagnostic profile. These findings indicate that the patient probably will not resolve the viral infection and that a chronic carrier state will occur. In the chronic infection, continued persistence of the e antigen indicates a poor clinical prognosis. Development of chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis is a possible outcome. Under these circumstances it is advisable to monitor patients on a quarterly basis to ascertain if seroconversion to anti-HBe does take place. Late seroconversion to anti-HBe (typically occurring 1-3 years after the onset of a chronic carrier state) is often associated with ultimate improvement in any underlying liver disease which may have occurred.