Table of contents:
- HBcAg, a hepatitis B diagnostic test
- Who is recommended to do the HBcAg test?
- Understand the results of a hepatitis test
Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). In infected people, this disease can progress to liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis. People who are suspected of being infected with the virus must undergo medical tests, one of which is the HBcAg test. Find out more about this test in the following review.
HBcAg, a hepatitis B diagnostic test
Before discussing hepatitis testing, let's have a brief understanding of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This makes it easier for you to understand hepatitis B diagnostic tests, such as HBcAg.
HBV is part of a group of viruses called hepadnaviruses. This virus is very small and has DNA as its main component.
The hepatitis B virus DNA is coated with a core sheath called HBcAg (hepatitis B core antigen). The core sheath is overlaid with an outer sheath called HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen).
To make things easier, you can think of this virus as a ball. The outer surface of the ball is HBsAg, while the inside is like HbcAg. Both are antigens or foreign substances that enter the body.
When these antigens are in the body, the immune system will make antibodies. Antibodies are the body's response to protect you from future infections.
To find out the hepatitis B virus in the body, it takes a series of tests. The tests vary, including the HBsAg test, HBcAg test, HBsAb test (hepatitis B surface antibody / anti-HBs), and HBcAb test (hepatitis B core antibody / Anti-Hbc).
The HBsAg test and the HBcAg test actually have the same goal, namely to detect the presence of the hepatitis B virus in the blood. What distinguishes is the part of the virus that is checked; the surface or core of the virus.
Meanwhile, other tests, namely the Anti-HBs and Anti-HBc tests are carried out to detect whether the body has formed antibodies against HBV in the body, not antigens (the virus itself).
These tests are all related to one another, so they are often done in stages. The goal is to get a diagnosis while helping doctors determine the right treatment.
Who is recommended to do the HBcAg test?
As with any other test, the people who need to be tested for HBcAg are those who are at high risk of contracting HBV.
The hepatitis B virus can be transmitted from one person to another through blood, semen and other body fluids. However, HBV is not transmitted through sneezing or coughing.
Common ways of spreading the HBV virus include:
- Unprotected sex so that the infected person's blood, vaginal fluids, or sperm enter their partner's body.
- The use of syringes alternates due to the transfer of the virus through contaminated blood.
- Pregnant women infected with HBV to their unborn babies during childbirth.
So, from the various modes of transmission, it can be concluded that the people who are recommended to undergo the HBcAg test, include:
- Pregnant women and babies born to mothers who are HBsAg positive
- Drug users through needles
- Frequently changing sex partners or having same-sex relationships
- People who did not previously receive the hepatitis vaccine as infants
- People on hemodialysis, victims of sexual assault, and people infected with HIV
Understand the results of a hepatitis test
Reporting from the website of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control in the United States (CDC), a positive HBsAg test indicates that a person has been infected with the HBV virus.
However, if the HBsAg test is negative and the anti-HBs is positive, it means that the person has been vaccinated against hepatitis because the body has formed antibodies against the virus.
Now, to find out the condition of HBV infection in the body, then an HBcAg test is needed. The test is divided into two, namely IgG HBcAg and IgM HBcAg. HBcAg IgG indicates that hepatitis is chronic, while HBcAg IgG indicates acute hepatitis.
Acute hepatitis occurs for a short time or occurs suddenly. While chronic hepatitis lasts for a long time (chronic).
Understanding this series of tests is not easy, to understand it more clearly and in more detail, consult a doctor, especially if you are among those who are at risk or suspect your symptoms.
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