Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg), Rapid Screening Test

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and causes liver inflammation. It is transmitted from an infected individual to another through sexual contact; by sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; due to infected blood transfusion; or during pregnancy or delivery. Hepatitis B vaccination is the safest and most effective practice to prevent this infection.

Following initial infection, most of the infected individuals do not exhibit any symptoms. However, some of the common symptoms are fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, joint pain, dark-colored urine, light-colored stool, and the yellowing of skin and eyes. An Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg), Rapid Screening Test test helps to identify individuals infected with the virus and enables the doctor to start appropriate treatment. Early disease detection can prevent complications resulting from the infection and further virus transmission. This test also helps distinguish HBV infection from other forms of hepatitis. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends testing people who may be at an increased risk of infection, have come in contact with an already infected person, or show the specified symptoms. HBsAg is a protein on the surface of HBV that can be detected in high levels in serum during acute or chronic HBV infection. The presence of HBsAg indicates that the person is infectious. Continued persistence of HBsAg may be seen in chronic carriers as well as patients with chronic hepatitis B. 

Usually, no special preparation is needed for this test. You may eat and drink as per your daily routine. Talk to your doctor about your specific test results. Narrate your complete medical history to help them correlate your clinical and laboratory findings. The test results will help the doctor determine your medical condition and formulate an overall treatment plan.