Learn about the HBsAb test in the diagnosis of hepatitis B

This is an automatically translated article.

Hepatitis B is one of the most common causes of cirrhosis and liver cancer. The HBsAb test measures the level of antibodies the body makes to fight this virus. However, there are different interpretations of the results in each specific case scenario. The following knowledge will partly help each person determine their own HBsAb test results.

1. What is HbsAb?

When your body is exposed to the hepatitis B virus through blood exposure, unprotected sex with someone who has the hepatitis B virus, or even if you have received the hepatitis B vaccine, the immune system will react against it like a foreigner.
The hepatitis B virus has a protein on its surface (antigen) that causes your immune system to produce antibodies. For the hepatitis B vaccine, the antigen sample used contains only the protein instead of the virus itself.
The first response that the specific immune system will perform upon exposure to hepatitis B is to produce the corresponding IgM antibody. These initial antibodies are made against certain parts of the virus including the genetic core within. They are tested for a variety of reactions in the acute phase but are not stable. Accordingly, the antibody levels will gradually decrease and eventually disappear.
Then the immune system switches to start producing IgG antibodies. The work of making these antibodies continues for the rest of life. This way, your immune system is always ready for any attack from the hepatitis B virus when the body is accidentally exposed to it.
In which, HbsAb (abbreviated from Hepatitis B Surface Antibody) is one of the antibodies against the hepatitis B virus. This is an antibody on the surface of the virus, produced by the body's immune system in response. with antigenic proteins on the surface of the hepatitis B virus.

2. What is the objective of the HbsAb test?

In cases of hepatitis B, HBsAb blood levels are also seen as evidence that your body is recovering. However, in these situations, if HBsAb levels are too low, prevention of recurrent infection is not guaranteed
HBsAb testing is done to look for possible prior exposure to the virus. hepatitis B. In addition, this test is also used to determine if your hepatitis B vaccination has been successful and well maintained, and when to get a booster shot. Bao and you will need to be proactive about hepatitis B vaccination as soon as possible.

3. How is HbsAb tested?

How to collect samples for HBsAb testing as well as for common blood tests. This test does not involve eating, taking drugs, exercising or requiring abstaining or preparing anything in advance. At any time of the day, blood can be taken to measure HbsAB levels in particular as well as other viral hepatitis tests in general.
After the sample is collected, a test tube containing your blood will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Thereby, when doctors receive the results, they will evaluate them depending on the specific situation of each patient.

4. Meaning of HBsAb . values

The values ​​of HbsAb in each situation will be interpreted and applied differently.
4.1. Positive HbsAg Value When HBsAb is positive, it means that your blood already has antibodies against hepatitis B. A high or low level of antibody corresponds to a strong antiviral or anti-viral ability. feebleness.
However, this single result does not indicate where the antibodies in your body came from. If you actively create it thanks to vaccination, in a completely healthy body, with good immune response, the amount of antibodies produced with high to very high concentrations will protect you from virus attack. However, you should not be subjective that you will not have the disease for life, but need to periodically check the HBsAg level. When your body is weakened, the ability to create antibodies gradually decreases, the protection of the body against the risk of viral infection is no longer guaranteed, you need to go for a booster shot to strengthen it.
If this amount of antibodies is obtained after being infected with the hepatitis B virus with acute hepatitis, this is a positive sign because it shows that your body is recovering and is able to make the corresponding antibodies on its own . However, you still need to monitor your HbsAg levels for some time afterward. Because, in most cases, the amount of HbsAg produced by the body itself will not be enough and you still need to be proactive in getting vaccinated.

4.2. Negative HbsAg Value If your HBsAb test is negative, it has many different meanings, but in general you have absolutely no immunity to the hepatitis B virus. In the case of hepatitis tests Your other B - including HBsAg - are negative, which means you are not infected or you are in the very early stages of the incubation period, before the body has time to form antibodies. At this point, if repeated HBsAb tests are still negative, your doctor will recommend vaccination, proactive antibody formation if your daily work has a high risk of exposure. One thing to keep in mind at this time is that even people who are immune to hepatitis B through vaccination are still at risk of hepatitis B virus, if antibody levels drop without booster vaccination, there is still a chance of contracting hepatitis B virus. other viral hepatitis.
However, if the HBsAb test is negative but other hepatitis B tests are positive, it again means that you have an active or chronic infection without the ability to make antibodies. Vaccination against hepatitis B is now pointless. Instead, your doctor will create an anti-viral regimen and long-term monitoring for you, preventing the viral infection from progressing to acute or chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
In summary, HBsAb is an essential test to evaluate the body's immunity against the hepatitis B virus surface antigen. In this way, we can know if we are infected. or not and whether to be vaccinated or not. Accordingly, this is one of the important tests to help proactively protect yourself against risk factors for blood-borne infections in general.

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