What does hepatitis B surface antibody positive mean

Some friends may not be familiar with the terms such as hepatitis B surface antibody positive. In fact, a positive surface antibody means that the person being tested has antibodies that are immune or protective against the hepatitis B virus in his body, which means that the patient does not have the hepatitis B virus or has been vaccinated.

Hepatitis B surface antibody is an immune and protective antibody against hepatitis B virus. Its positive result indicates that the person has been infected with hepatitis B virus in the past but the virus has been eliminated, or that the person has been vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine and produced protective antibodies. The higher the hepatitis B surface antibody titer in the serum, the stronger the protection. However, there are a few people who are positive for hepatitis B surface antibodies and yet are infected with hepatitis B. This may be due to infection with a different subtype or a mutation of the hepatitis B virus.

A positive hepatitis B surface antibody means that among the five hepatitis B serum markers, the antigen is a component of the virus itself, while the antibody is a product of the body's immune response, and their clinical significance is different. Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) from the 261st Hospital of the People's Liberation Army is a protective antibody that often appears positive in the late stage of infection recovery, when the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has turned negative for at least 1 month. Anti-HBs reaches its peak in June-December, then gradually decreases and turns negative within 10 years (sometimes it turns negative very quickly).

What does a positive hepatitis B surface antibody test mean?

(1) A positive hepatitis B surface antibody test proves that there has been a history of hepatitis B virus infection and that the body has developed a certain degree of immunity.

(2) The patient has been vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine or received hepatitis B surface antibody immunoglobulin, and the hepatitis B surface antibody test is positive.

(3) Hepatitis B surface antibody is a protective antibody, and its appearance indicates specific immunity to HBV infection.