Testing for Hepatitis B will involve taking the measurement of several antigens and antibodies, as well as different serial logic markers or marker combinations which are used in to identify phases of infection with HBV. Testing will also be able to identify whether a patient has chronic or acute HBV infection, whether they are immune it to HBV (following a previous infection or vaccination) or whether they would be susceptible to infection.
This type of test will identify hepatitis B surface antigens in the blood and will be able to tell a doctor whether your infection with HBV is recent or the result of longstanding infection.
The hepatitis B virus has antigens on its surface that, when they are detected, causes your immune system to manufacture antibodies. These surface antigens are found in your a few weeks after you’ve been exposed to infection and are one of the earliest indications that infection with HBV is present.
Hepatitis B virus is one of five hepatic viruses, along with hepatitis A, C, D, and E. Most infection with hepatitis will stem from one of these five viruses.
The hepatitis B virus is spread through seminal fluid, blood and vaginal secretions and it also may take several months for symptoms to develop. Very often this infection will clear up by itself after around six months but in a small section of adults as well as in children the virus does not clear up and this is especially true of infection in new-borns. This condition is known as a chronic infection and it may lead to scarring of the liver, liver cell damage, cirrhosis and ultimately liver cancer. The presence of HBV surface antigens is an early sign of acute infection but they may also be found in the blood of people suffering from long term or chronic infection.
You may be asked to have this blood test if your doctor thinks that you might have a liver infection that is being caused by HBV infection. If you have symptoms of hepatitis B you may also be asked to take this test. However, it should be noted that symptoms start slowly and many people have no symptoms at all or, at worst, they have a mild dose of flu. Very often symptoms do not manifest themselves until the infection is severe or has been chronic for some time.
Select the test that you would like to undergo
Go to the Harley Street clinic for your blood draw and pay for your test in person
As soon as the results are ready, the will be sent to you by your chosen method
