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HBsAg is an abbreviation of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (hepatitis B surface antigen). This is a protein that appears in the blood when a person is infected with hepatitis B.
To find out whether someone has hepatitis B or not, an HBsAg test can be done. However, what is the HBsAg test? Check out the information in the following description.
What is the HBsAg Test?
Reported by the Verywell Health website, the HBsAg test is a blood test that detects the hepatitis B surface antigen. High HBsAg levels can usually indicate whether the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is active or not in the body.
HBsAg is the outer layer of HBV cells. The center of the cell contains viral DNA, while around it there is a protein called hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg).
HBsAg surrounds HBcAg and becomes a hidden component that protects the virus from attack by the body’s natural immune system. But, the body’s immune system works to penetrate these components to kill the virus.
When the immune system succeeds in destroying the virus, there will be remnants of HBsAg left behind in debris such as blood. And this is what laboratory tests can detect.
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. The virus can spread when you come into contact with the blood, wounds or body fluids of someone who has hepatitis B.
In some people, hepatitis B can be mild and only last for a short time. Short-term (acute) cases of hepatitis B can become chronic and can cause liver failure, cancer and life-threatening conditions.
Hepatitis B is a serious disease. However, people with acute hepatitis B do not always experience symptoms. If you experience symptoms, they may include jaundice, light colored stools, fever, prolonged fatigue, stomach and joint pain.
Symptoms of chronic infections also do not always appear. If it appears, the symptoms will likely be the same as those of an acute case. And symptoms don’t appear 1-6 months after contracting HBV, so you may not feel anything if you get this disease.
According to the WebMD page, about a third of people who have hepatitis B do not feel that they have this disease. They only found out they were infected with hepatitis B through this HBsAg test.
Who Should Have an HBsAg Test?
Everyone can have an HBsAg test periodically or at least once in their life. However, you can take this test if you experience symptoms of hepatitis B which include:
Jaundice, such as the skin, whites of the eyes, and urine turning yellow, brown, or orange
Pale stools Fever Fatigue that lasts a long time Stomach disorders such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting Abdominal and joint pain.
In addition, HBsAg testing can be carried out routinely during pregnancy, before donating blood or organs, before starting immunosuppressive therapy, and in individuals who are at higher risk of contracting HBV.
By carrying out this test, a person will be identified whether they have acute or chronic hepatitis B. So they can also get hepatitis B vaccination afterwards.
Explanation of HBsAg Test Results
After doing the HBsAg test, you will get a positive or negative result. The following is an explanation of the results:
1. Positive HBsAg results
If the test results show positive then you are likely infected with hepatitis B. Not only that, you can find out whether you have acute or chronic hepatitis B. A positive HBsAg test result can also indicate that you can transmit the virus to other people.
However, it is said that the hepatitis B vaccine can also cause positive HBsAg test results, you know. Therefore, if you have just received a dose of hepatitis B vaccine, your doctor may recommend waiting another month to do the HBsAg test again.
2. Negative HBsAg results
If the HBsAg test result is negative, it means that the hepatitis virus surface antigen was not found in your blood sample. This also shows that you are not infected with hepatitis B.
Other Tests for Diagnosis of Hepatitis B
Apart from the HBsAg test, there are also several other tests that are carried out together to identify whether there is HBV infection in the body or not. Here are some other tests for the diagnosis of hepatitis B:
1. Tes Anti-HBs
The anti-HBs test or Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (hepatitis B surface antibody) is a test that shows immunity from HBV infection, either due to recovery after infection or from vaccination.
2. Tes Anti-HBc
The anti-HBc test or Total Antibody to Hepatitis B core Antigen (total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen) is a test that measures antibodies and shows whether you have ever had an active HBV infection. Anti-HBc appears early in HBV infection and can persist for life.
3. Tes IgM Anti-HBc
The IgM Antibody to Hepatitis B core Antigen test (IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen) is a test that shows whether acute HBV infection has occurred within the last 6 months or not.
That was an explanation of the HBsAg test to detect hepatitis B. So, have you done this test and other hepatitis B tests, detikers?
Watch the video “Ministry of Health’s Efforts to Overcome Transmission of Hepatitis B from Mother to Child”
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2023-11-05 00:01:19
#HBsAg #Test #Detecting #Hepatitis
