Hepatitis B Flashcards
What type of virus is hepatitis B?
double-stranded DNA hepadnavirus
(dsDNA)
How is hepatitis B spread?
Infected blood/ bodily fluids
Vertical transmission
How can an infection with hepatitis B present?
Fever
Jaundice
Elevated liver transaminases.
Who is typically offered treatment for hepatitis B?
HBsAg-positive
Compensated liver disease
Pregnant
Young
What is the first line management of hepatitis B?
Peginterferon alfa-2a
How long do most people take to recover from a hepatitis B infection?
2 months
What can happen to 10% of people infected with hepatitis B?
Become chronic carriers
What are HbsAg?
Surface antigens
What do Antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) indicate?
If if HBsAg is present for > 6 months, what does that suggest?
Chronic disease
if HBsAg is present for < 6 months, what does this suggest?
Acute disease
What is HBcAb?
Core antibody- implies past or current infection
What is HBsAb?
Surface antigen- implies vaccination or past or current infection
When is HBsAb negative?
In chronic disease
What would the results be if someone had previously been immunised?
Anti-HBs positive, all others negative
What would be the results in someone previous with hepatitis B (> 6 months ago), not a carrier?
Anti-HBc positive
HBsAg negative
What would the results be in someone who previously had hepatitis B and is now a carrier?
Anti-HBc positive
HBsAg positive
What are the 2 different forms of HBsAb?
IgG and IgM
When would IgG HBsAb be raised?
IgG indicates a past infection
When would IgM HBsAb be raised?
IgM implies an active infection and will give a high titre with an acute infection
What are the possible complications of chronic hepatitis B?
chronic hepatitis
hepatocellular carcinoma
polyarteritis nodosa
cryoglobulinaemia
What does
HBsAg negative
anti-HBs positive
IgG anti-HBc negative
IgM anti-HBc negative
indicate?
Previous immunisation
What does
HBsAg positive
anti-HBc IgG positive
anti-HBc IgM negative
Anti-HBs positive
indicate?
chronic hepatitis B infection
What does
positive HBsAg
Anti-HBc IgM positive
Anti-HBc IgG negative
Anti-HBs positive
Acute hepatitis B infection
What is HBsAg?
The first disease marker
(antigen)
What is anti-HBc IgM?
IgM antibody
Will be positive in recent infections and negative in chronic infections
What is anti-HBc IgG?
IgG antibody
It will be positive in chronic infection but negtive in recent infection
When is HBsAb positive?
When patient has developed antibodies to infection
What would indicate that a patient is suseptible to infection?
All the results are negative
