How about a positive hepatitis B test?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Nhat - Infectious Disease Specialist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Hepatitis B can progress to liver failure, cirrhosis or even liver cancer. Therefore, early detection and prompt treatment are very important. The HBsAg test is one of the most important ways to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis of hepatitis B.

A positive or (+) HBsAg test means that this antigen is present in the patient's serum. This also means that the patient has been or is currently infected with the hepatitis B virus.
The HBsAg antigen will increase within the first 10 weeks. In case the patient has a good immune system, HBsAg will gradually decrease and disappear after about 4-6 months. At this point, our body is completely cured and has lifelong immunity to hepatitis B without needing to be vaccinated. In contrast, for people with weakened immune systems, HbsAg may not disappear but continue to grow after 6 months. At this time, the patient was chronically infected with hepatitis B virus.
Only about 10-15% of people tested for HBsAg (+) fall into the case of chronic carriers. In most other cases, hepatitis B will clear up on its own without significant treatment. Among chronic hepatitis B carriers, only a few develop chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer. Therefore, the patient should not be too worried.

A person who has a positive blood test for HBsAg means that he or she is infected with the hepatitis B virus, but whether or not treatment is needed depends on the specific case.
Usually when HBsAg is positive, the doctor will have to determine if the patient's liver is damaged, that is, does the person have chronic hepatitis? If chronic hepatitis is confirmed, specific treatment must be given. Therefore, if a person is HBsAg positive, we need to test for HBV-DNA, is it positive and how much?

People infected with hepatitis B need to have a healthy lifestyle and not use personal items to avoid infecting others.
3.1 Develop a healthy lifestyle After the test, if the results show that you are positive for hepatitis B, perform a health check-up and periodic testing as directed by your doctor. Besides, you must also abstain from alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, ... and stimulants, which are not good for health such as tobacco, animal fat,... Build a regime healthy lifestyle, increase exercise and keep the spirit happy and comfortable.
3.2 Do not share personal items Even though you are a healthy carrier, you can still spread the disease to those around you. Therefore, personal items such as toothbrushes, razors, etc. should absolutely not be shared with others. When having sex, use protection.
3.3 Avoid infecting others In case you are bleeding, hurt and need other people's help in treating the wound, you need to let them know you are carrying the hepatitis B virus.
Only when bleeding Hepatitis B can be transmitted from mother to child by blood, contact with blood or sexual activity, and it is completely safe to share food or drink with an infected person. The most susceptible cases of hepatitis B infection are health workers and kindergarten teachers.
3.4 Take the test when someone in the family is positive for hepatitis B When someone in the family tests positive for hepatitis B, other family members should also go to the health center for testing Test to see if you are infected and have antibodies in your body. You should only get the hepatitis B vaccine if you are not already infected or are infected with hepatitis B but do not yet have antibodies. If you already have antibodies after the test, you don't need to get vaccinated.
3.5 Pregnant women should check and take precautions for the baby

If pregnant mothers are tested to be infected with hepatitis B, they must give the child injections within the first 12 hours after birth. In addition, you should not breastfeed your baby to avoid infection.
Pregnant women need to pay special attention to this point to prevent their children from being infected with hepatitis B. According to statistics, up to 70% of children are infected with hepatitis in the first year of pregnancy because mothers do not know they have hepatitis B during pregnancy. so there are no precautions.
With the above information, you probably already know what to do when you test positive for hepatitis B. In fact, it is very common to test for hepatitis B with a positive HBsAg(+) result. Even though the result is positive, it does not mean that you have hepatitis B.
According to statistics, on average, 2 out of 10 people who have a blood test give HBsAg (+). In that person's body contains hepatitis B virus, but not necessarily hepatitis B. Therefore, you do not need to worry too much about this problem.

HBsAg test is one of the tests performed to diagnose hepatobiliary diseases in the Comprehensive Hepatobiliary Screening Package at Vinmec. Comprehensive hepatobiliary screening package helps customers:
Assess the liver's ability to work through liver enzyme tests; Evaluation of bile function; vascular nutrition; Early screening for liver cancer; Perform tests such as Total blood cell analysis, blood clotting ability, screening for hepatitis B, C Assessment of hepatobiliary status through ultrasound images and diseases that have the potential to affect liver disease/cause liver disease. more severe liver disease In-depth analysis of parameters to evaluate hepatobiliary function through laboratory, subclinical; the risk of affecting the liver and early screening for hepatobiliary cancer. When registering for the Comprehensive Hepatobiliary Screening Package, customers will be examined by a hepatobiliary specialist; General abdominal ultrasound and laboratory tests, including HBsAg test, diagnose Hepatitis B.
Master. Doctor. Nguyen Thi Nhat has more than 10 years of experience in the field of artificial kidney, and in the field of infectious diseases, examination and management of patients with kidney disease and infectious diseases. Currently working as a Doctor of Infectious Diseases, Department of General Internal Medicine, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital