Hepatitis B Surface Antigen

The Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Test is a simple blood test that screens for this hepatitis virus.  Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.

The Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) can produce acute or chronic illness.


Cause:

The Hepatitis B Virus can be spread through:

Sexual contact with an infected partner
Transfer of blood or serum through shared needles by drug abusers
Accidental needle sticks with needles contaminated with infected blood
Infected mother to her baby


Clinical Significance Surface antigen usually appears in the serum after an incubation period of 1 to 6 months following exposure to Hepatitis B virus and peaks shortly after onset of symptoms. It typically disappears within 1 to 3 months. Persistence of Hepatitis B surface antigen for greater than 6 months is a prognostic indicator of chronic Hepatitis B infection.

Other tests you may be interested in:

chlamydia test

gonorrhea test

HIV test

herpes test

hepatitis a test

hepatitis c test

syphilis test