CHAPTER 13: Anti-Hepatitis B surface Antigen Test (Anti-HBsAg Test)

Hepatitis B virus

a double stranded DNA virus composed of a 27 nm nucleocapsid core (HBcAg), surrounded by an outer lipoprotein coat containing the surface antigen (HBsAg)

Hepatitis B surface antigen/HBsAg

• the initial marker to appear weeks after exposure to HBV. It was formerly known as Australia (Au) antigen or hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA)

• levels peak during the acute stage of infection, then slowly declines as the patient recovers and develops antibodies

• good indicator of active Hepatitis B virus infection, monitoring the course of infection and disease progression

anti-HBs card

• test designated for qualitative determination of Anti-HBs in human serum or plasma specimens

• rapid chromatographic immunoassay based on one-step in-vitro test

True

True or false: A colored band formation in the test region appears when Anti-HBs is present at level of 30mIU/mL or higher. It remains colorless if there is absence of Anti-HBs. A purple or red color is formed due to continuous movement of sample to control area

30mIU/ml.

Test sensitivity is _