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Hepatitis B test: antibodies to HBeAg (Anti-HBe) in blood
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
Anti-HB e is normally absent in blood serum.
The appearance of anti-HB e antibodies usually indicates intensive elimination of the hepatitis B virus from the body and minor infection of the patient. These antibodies appear in the acute period and persist for up to 5 years after the infection. In chronic persistent hepatitis, anti-HB e is detected in the patient's blood together with HB s Ag. Seroconversion, i.e. the transition of HB e Ag to anti-HB e in chronic active hepatitis, is often prognostically favorable, but the same seroconversion in severe cirrhotic transformation of the liver does not improve the prognosis.
Blood testing for the presence of anti-HB e is used for the following purposes:
- diagnostics of viral hepatitis B:
- initial stage of the disease;
- acute period of infection;
- early stage of convalescence;
- convalescence;
- late stage of convalescence;
- diagnosis of recent viral hepatitis B;
- Diagnosis of chronic persistent viral hepatitis B.
Criteria for the presence of chronic viral hepatitis B:
- detection of HB s Ag in the blood for more than 6 months;
- continuous or periodic detection of hepatitis B viral DNA in the blood;
- constant or periodic increase in ALT/AST activity in the blood;
- morphological signs of chronic hepatitis in histological examination of liver biopsy.
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