Clinical Significance

Viral hepatitis is a major public health problem of global importance with an estimated 300 million persistent carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) worldwide. Infection with HBV results in a wide spectrum of acute and chronic liver diseases that may lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Viral hepatitis is a disease of the liver that is caused by a number of well-characterized viruses including HBV. Transmission of HBV occurs by percutaneous exposure to blood products and contaminated instruments, sexual contact and perinatally from HBV-infected mothers to their unborn child. HBV infection produces an array of unique antigens and antibody responses that, in general, follow distinct serological pattersn. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), derived from the viral envelope, is the first antigen to appear following infection and can be detected serologically as an aid in the laboratory diagnosis of acute HBV infection.

_{Source: Vitros ECiQ, HBsAg IFU. Pub. No. GEM1201 Version 11.0}