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Hepatitis B test: serum HBeAg
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
Normally, HB e Ag is absent in the blood serum.
HB e Ag can be detected in the blood serum of most patients with acute viral hepatitis B. It usually disappears from the blood earlier than HB s Ag. A high level of HB e Ag in the first weeks of the disease or its detection for 8 weeks or more gives grounds to suspect a chronic infection. This antigen is often detected in chronic active hepatitis of viral etiology. Particular interest in determining HB e Ag is associated with the fact that its detection characterizes the active replicative phase of the infectious process. It has been established that high titers of HB e Ag correspond to high DNA polymerase activity and characterize active replication of the virus. The presence of HB e Ag in the blood indicates its high infectivity, that is, the presence of an active infection of viral hepatitis B in the body of the subject, HB e Ag is detected only if HB s Ag is present in the blood. Antiviral drugs are prescribed to patients with chronic active hepatitis only if HB e Ag is detected in the blood.
The presence of HB e Ag indicates ongoing viral replication and the patient's infectivity. HB e Ag is a marker of the acute phase and replication of HBV.
Blood testing for the presence of HB e Ag is performed for the following purposes:
- diagnostics of the incubation period of viral hepatitis B;
- diagnosis of the prodromal period of viral hepatitis B;
- diagnostics of the acute period of viral hepatitis B;
- Diagnosis of chronic persistent viral hepatitis B.
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