What does hepatitis B surface antigen mean?

The first thing I want to make clear to everyone is that hepatitis B surface antigen is the outer shell protein of the hepatitis B virus, but its presence often also indicates that the body has hepatitis B virus. If the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen is found in a simple test, it is recommended to return for a follow-up visit for further examination so that you can more accurately understand your physical condition and whether you are infected with the hepatitis B virus.

What is Hepatitis B Surface Antigen

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is the outer shell protein of the hepatitis B virus. It is not contagious itself, but its appearance is often accompanied by the presence of hepatitis B virus, so it is a sign of infection with the hepatitis B virus. It can be found in the patient's blood, saliva, milk, sweat, tears, nasopharyngeal secretions, semen and vaginal secretions. A positive result can be detected in the serum 2 to 6 months after infection with hepatitis B virus, when alanine aminotransferase increases 2 to 8 weeks before the onset. Most patients with acute hepatitis B can turn negative in the early stage of the disease, and this indicator can remain positive in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Infect

Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) is the outer membrane protein of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and can appear early after HBV infection. HBsAg itself is not contagious, but because it often exists together with HBV, HBsAg positivity is a sign of HBV infection.

Hepatitis B surface antigen hazards

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is the outer shell protein of the hepatitis B virus. It is not contagious itself, but its appearance is often accompanied by the presence of hepatitis B virus, so it is a sign of infection with the hepatitis B virus. It can be found in the patient's blood, saliva, milk, sweat, tears, nasopharyngeal secretions, semen and vaginal secretions. A positive result can be detected in the serum 2 to 6 months after infection with hepatitis B virus, when alanine aminotransferase increases 2 to 8 weeks before the onset. Most patients with acute hepatitis B can turn negative in the early stage of the disease, and this indicator can remain positive in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

In daily life, we often encounter some very healthy people who are found to be positive for hepatitis B surface antigen during physical examinations. They think they have hepatitis B and are very depressed. The people around them are also very nervous and afraid that they will be infected, especially unmarried young people who are more worried about their future. In fact, the positivity of hepatitis B surface antigen alone cannot determine whether it is contagious or not, but it mainly depends on the degree of virus replication in the liver. If the virus replicates actively and a large number of virus particles are released into the blood, the person's blood will be highly contagious.