Hepatitis B serology tests detect HBV and antibodies in the serum of an infected individual. Tests include HBsAg, anti-HBsAg, anti-HBe, and anti-HBc, which can indicate infection and recovery. An HBV DNA test monitors response to treatment.
A hepatitis B serology is a group of tests that can detect the presence of HBV and various antibodies in the serum of an individual with hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a condition caused by an infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). When an individual’s immune system detects the presence of this virus in the body, it produces various substances to protect the body. These are called antibodies and are often present in the affected individual’s blood serum. Serum is the yellow part of blood that can best be seen when a blood sample is left standing for a few hours.
One of the hepatitis B serology tests is done to detect the presence of the virus in an individual who has symptoms of the disease. This test is called hepatitis B surface antigen or HBsAg. A positive HBsAg hepatitis B serologic test can often indicate a virus infection. Symptoms of hepatitis B infection include pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, yellowing of the skin, itching and loss of appetite. An affected patient’s stools may also turn gray and his urine a tea color.
There are different antibodies in the serum of a hepatitis B patient that can be measured using different hepatitis B serological tests. These tests include Anti-HBsAg, anti-HBe and anti-HBc. The anti-HBsAg test measures the level of antibodies against the HBsAg of HBV. When it is present, it often means that the individual has been exposed to the virus and has already recovered from the infection. This test is also performed after several doses of hepatitis B vaccination, to make sure that the body has sufficient protection against future infections.
High levels of anti-HBe often indicate that the presence of the virus is low. Hepatitis B anti-HBc serology can usually indicate infection even when HBsAg and anti-HBsAg tests are negative. Both tests can become negative when the infection is in the window period.
The window period is the time when HBsAg has disappeared from the serum and antibodies against it have not yet appeared in the serum. Another hepatitis B serological test that can detect hepatitis B infection during the window period is the anti-HBc IgM test. IgM is a type of antibody found in the serum of patients with newly acquired infections.
Most patients usually recover from the hepatitis B infection. Some patients, however, may have the disease longer than others. A hepatitis B serologic test usually done to monitor response to treatment in these patients is known as an HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test.
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