Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
701171 tn?1229194193

CONFUSED

Zellyf ,   i was reading your profile you  said you are HB carrier , and  you said your e-antigen is negative and e-antobody is positive . Is e- antigen same as HbsAG and HbcAB  for e-antiboby.  If thats the case  that means your not hep B carrier. I'm really confused  pls. share.
Also  just got my  lab result ,  VIRAL LOAD IS 5100 IU/ml , doctor did not say anything about starting on meds . Do you think i need to start taking meds. also having RUQ pain .
3 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
The guideline is greater than 2000 IU/ml if you are e-antigen negative.  If you are e-positive then the treatment guideline is higher...I believe 20,000 IU/ml.

The e-antigen situation has been explained well by bberry (thanks!  Your input is always appreciated here!)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also  just got my  lab result ,  VIRAL LOAD IS 5100 IU/ml , doctor did not say anything about starting on meds . Do you think i need to start taking meds.

--2007 guideline suggests taking meds when VL>2000 and ALT elevated to x2 upper normal bound.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HBeAg (Hepatitis B e-Antigen) - This is a viral protein that is secreted by hepatitis B infected cells. It is associated with chronic hepatitis B infections and is used as a marker of active viral disease and a patient's degree of infectiousness.

A positive result indicates the person has high levels of virus and greater infectiousness.
A negative result indicates low to zero levels of virus in the blood and a person is considered non-infectious.
This test is often used to monitor the effectiveness of some hepatitis B therapies, whose goal is to convert a chronically infected individual to "e-antigen negative".

The absence of e-antigen, however, does not necessarily exclude active viral replication. Some patient groups have mutant viruses that do not give rise to e-antigen. Patients with negative e-antigen, but detectable viral DNA, are traditionally thought to be more resistant to conventional treatment than those who have positive e-antigen levels.

HBeAb or anti-HBe (Hepatitis B e-Antibody) - This antibody is made in response to the e-antigen and is detected in patients who have recovered from hepatitis B infections as well as those who are chronically infected. Chronically infected individuals who stop producing e-antigen sometimes produce e-antibodies. The clinical significance of this result is unclear but it is generally considered to be a good thing. In rare cases, anti-HBe may be associated with active viral replication in patients with e-antigen negative virus mutations

ALSO

1.      Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg): The surface protein of the hepatitis B virus that is used as a marker to detect infection. If this blood test is positive, then the hepatitis B virus is present.

2.      Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (HBsAb or anti-HBs): The antibody formed in response to the surface protein of the hepatitis B virus. It can be produced in response to vaccination or recovery from an actual hepatitis B infection. If this test is positive, then the immune system has successfully developed a protective antibody against the hepatitis B virus that provides long-term immunity.

3.      Hepatitis B Core Antibody (HBcAb or anti-HBc): This antibody only refers to a part of the virus itself; it does not provide any protection or immunity against HBV. This test is often used by blood banks to screen blood donations. A positive test indicates a person may have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus, but the result can only be confirmed in relationship to the above two tests.

HBeAg: A marker of a high degree of HBV infectivity, it correlates with a high level of HBV replication. It is primarily used to help determine the clinical management of patients with chronic HBV infection.

Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis B Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.