Patient's question:
I had a blood test during my colonoscopy two years ago, and the result showed a positive hepatitis B surface antigen. Today, I had a urine test, and the result was the same. What does a hepatitis B surface antigen mean?Doctor's answer:
Hepatitis B surface antigen, it is a marker indicating the presence of hepatitis B virus. If infected with the hepatitis B virus, the test for this hepatitis B surface antigen will show a positive result. The hepatitis B surface antigen is the outer protein coat of the hepatitis B virus and does not possess infectivity on its own, but it is shared with the hepatitis B virus. The hepatitis B surface antigen can be present in the blood, saliva, secretions, or in large amounts of semen and vaginal secretions of infected individuals. Between 2 to 6 months after infection with the hepatitis B virus, a positive result can be detected in the serum. Therefore, the hepatitis B surface antigen serves as a test indicator for the presence of the hepatitis B virus. If it indicates positivity, it means the individual has been infected with the hepatitis B virus. In rare cases, the infection can progress to severe hepatitis, characterized by a rapid and severe decline in liver function until exhaustion, accompanied by organ damage such as kidney failure.