Test For Hepatitis B Immunity

How Does Hepatitis B Occur

Hepatitis B is caused by the Hepatitis B virus. You get Hepatitis B by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. For example, you can get it from:

• Having unprotected sex with someone infected with Hepatitis B
• Sharing needles for drug injection with an infected person
• Your mother if she had Hepatitis B at the time she gave birth to you
• Getting a body part pierced or a permanent tattoo with nonsterile equipment.

The disease can be spread by people who do not have any symptoms and may not know they carry the virus. These people are called asymptomatic carriers.

Hbv Dna Hbv Genotype And Hbv Drug Resistance Assays

Specimen: Serum or plasma

Container: Red-top tube, yellow-top tube , gel-barrier tube, plasma preparation tube, or lavender tube

Collection method: Routine venipuncture

The specimen should be transfused to separate plasma/serum from cells within 6 hours and kept frozen when testing cannot be done promptly.

The tests use PCR amplification, DNA probe hybridization, and sequencing method.

Who Is At Risk For Hepatitis B

Anyone can contract hepatitis B. However, certain groups are at greater risk. According to the CDC, the following groups are at highest risk for contracting hepatitis B:

• Infants born to infected mothers
• People who inject drugs or share needles
• Sexual partners of people infected with hepatitis B
• Men who have sex with men
• People living in close proximity to a person with hepatitis B
• Health care workers or others exposed to blood in their work environments
• Hemodialysis patients

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Educating Clients About Viral Hepatitis

Clients may believe they know about viral , but their understanding of the disease may not be accurate. It is easy to confuse the three main types of viral , B, and C. Clients may have formed impressions based on limited or incorrect information. Counselors should briefly describe hepatitis A, B, and C, including their prevalence, , and relationship to drug use, as well as to other infections, such as HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. Specific strategies for speaking with clients include:

• Speak clearly and keep the message simple, focused, and brief.
• Use language, examples, and concepts that the client understands.
• Use appropriate visual aids.
• Frame numerical statements in terms that are easy to visualize. Say 5 out of 100 people rather than 5 percent of the population say more than half instead of the majority.
• Repeat the information at different times in different ways. The average client retains only approximately one-third of what he or she is told. Summarize essential points.
• Pay attention to a clients response to the information. For example, if a client stiffens his or her posture, consider saying, I notice that this topic seems to make you uncomfortable. It does for a lot of people. Please tell me what youre feeling right now. Id really like to help you with this.
• Use the opportunity to describe the potential detrimental effects of alcohol and other substance use on the liver of a person who is infected with HCV.

How Is Hepatitis B Treated

There is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B infections. Symptoms are usually treated with supportive care. This usually involves making sure that you are getting plenty of rest and enough fluids and nutrition by eating and drinking small amounts several times a day.

Chronic forms of hepatitis B may be treated with antiviral medications such as interferon, entecavir, tenofovir, lamivudine, and adefovir. However, some antiviral drugs can have serious side effects and not all people need to be treated. Often, people with chronic hepatitis will be closely monitored to see if they develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about your treatment options and the risks and benefits of those currently available.

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Identifying Patterns Of Risky Behavior

Screening is an opportunity to draw attention to the clients behaviors that put him or her at risk for contracting :

• Ask for the clients perception of his or her risk for having contracted : How likely do you think it is that the test will be positive?
• Listen for and identify behaviors that put the client at risk for contracting , B, and C and HIV, especially unprotected sex and sharing injection drug paraphernalia.
• Assess the clients alcohol consumption.

Submission And Collection Notes

Detailed instructions for ordering Hepatitis B testing are available to assist with completing the Hepatitis Serology boxes in section 3 of the General Test Requisition.

For testing all Hepatitis markers, HIV, HTLV, Syphilis and Rubella, you only are required to submit two FULL red top or serum separator tubes .

Do NOT submit glass tubes.

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How Do Doctors Test For Hepatitis B Immunity

Doctors may order a panel of blood tests to check if someone has HBV:

• Hepatitis B surface antigen : This test looks for the presence of HBV in the blood by looking for antigens found on the virus. A positive result means that a person has HBV.
• Hepatitis B surface antibody : This test can show if a person is immune and protected against HBV. A positive result indicates that the person has overcome a past HBV infection or it is the result of receiving the hepatitis B vaccine.
• Hepatitis B core antibody : This test looks for another antibody in the HBV, but this one does not provide protection. A positive result indicates that a person had a past infection or currently has HBV.

Some people with certain risk factors for hepatitis B infection, such as those who inject drugs, pregnant people, and other populations, may require testing postvaccination to check their immunity.

Taking A Hepatitis B Test

Testing for hepatitis B is performed on a sample of blood. A doctor, nurse, or other health care provider can obtain a blood sample using a small needle to draw blood from a vein.

At-home hepatitis B testing requires that users carefully follow instructions provided in the test kit to collect a small sample of blood, package the sample, and mail it to a lab for testing.

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Addressing Hepatitis For The First Time

It is crucial that a treatment counselor or health professional use a nonjudgmental and compassionate tone. Clients need to feel comfortable disclosing information about their health and risky behaviors. The following strategies can help initiate the conversation:

• Display posters, literature, or other -related items that could help prompt the client to ask questions about hepatitis. .
• Assess clients ability to discuss , based on their degree of openness in the counseling session, the amount of detail they provide in their responses, and the length of the therapeutic relationship.
• Raise the subject in a way that avoids making clients feel defensive or afraid. Consider introducing the subject by making parallels with other conditions that have been discussed. Say, for example, You said you were tested for HIV several times. Were you ever tested for viral ? or You mentioned that your friend is sick with HIV. Have you been tested for HCV or HIV? Tell me about those tests.
• Be patient and allow time for multiple, short conversations about the subject. This might ease feelings of fear, anxiety, or shame.

Should I Get The Hbv Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults in high-risk groups get vaccinated. Some of these groups include people:

• In close contact with someone who has hepatitis B
• Who undergo dialysis
• With chronic liver or kidney disease
• With HIV or who seek treatment for other sexually transmitted diseases or drug treatment
• Who travel to countries where hepatitis B is common
• Who are healthcare workers with potential exposure to HBV

Unless there is something in your medical history to the contrary, it is prudent to get the series of vaccinations. Babies, children and adolescents are routinely given the series of shots if you have already been vaccinated, you probably are protected for many years, perhaps for life, and will not usually need to get the vaccine again.

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Hepatitis B Blood Tests

The Hepatitis B Panel of Blood Tests

Only one sample of blood is needed for a hepatitis B blood test, but the Hepatitis B Panel includes three parts. All three test results are needed to fully understand whether a person is infected or not. Below is an explanation of the 3-part Hepatitis B Panel of blood test results.

When And How To Perform Post

Which test to use: If testing is needed following vaccination, use quantitated HBsAb only

• Post-vaccination testing is needed for certain groups who are at especially high risk for HBV infection
• The purpose of post-vaccination testing is to confirm if patients have achieved adequate immune response as measured by hepatitis B surface antibody
• Perform testing 1-2 months after final dose of the HBV vaccine series
• Persons with HBsAb concentrations of > 10 mIU/ml are considered immune
• Post-vaccination testing is recommended for some patients:
• Infants born to HBsAg+ women
• Infants born to women whose HBSAg status remains unknown
• Health care personnel and public safety workers at risk for blood or body fluid exposure
• Hemodialysis patients
• Other immunocompromised persons such as hematopoietic stem-cell transplant patients or persons receiving chemotherapy
• Sex partners of HBSAg+ persons

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About Our Hepatitis B Immunity Status Test

This blood test is used to confirm immunity against the hepatitis B virus by detecting the presence of surface antigens, surface antibodies, and core antibodies specific to HBV .

Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the double-shelled hepatitis B virus. It is preventable through vaccination.

An individual develops hepatitis B surface antibodies from a successful vaccination or if they have had hepatitis B and recovered from the infection. The hepatitis B vaccine stimulates the body to make these antibodies to protect against the virus. If an individual has been infected but cleared the virus, the surface antibodies they developed protect against the virus for life, preventing reinfection. The hepatitis B surface antibody is detectable after clearing the virus.

The presence of hepatitis B core antibody can indicate a past or present HBV infection. People vaccinated for hepatitis B will not have the core antibody in their blood.

Why Get Tested For Hepatitis B Immunity

Schools, workplaces, or other entities may require proof of immunity to hepatitis B within their requirements. Additionally, if you are unsure if you have previously been vaccinated for, or been infected by, hepatitis B, a screening will allow you to confirm your status.

*It is solely your responsibility to promptly discuss all laboratory test results with a physician. Neither Sonora Quest Laboratories nor its Medical Director will provide interpretation, counseling, consulting, or care recommendations on the basis of any laboratory results provided to you.

Order Your Own Hepatitis B Immune Status Screening

Order a Hepatitis B Immune Status screening for $32 & pay for your test in 3 easy steps.

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What Does The Test Result Mean

The tests for hepatitis B may be ordered individually but are often ordered in some combination, depending on the reason for testing. Results of the tests are typically evaluated together. Sometimes the meaning of one result depends on the result of another test. However, not all tests are performed for all people.

The table below summarizes possible interpretations of some common patterns of results.

*Note: There are some types of HBV that do not make e-antigen. In areas where these strains of HBV are common , testing for HBeAg is not very useful. In these cases, a negative HbeAg result does not necessarily mean that the person is not infectious it may be that the person is infected with a strain that does not make the e-antigen.

Monitoring treatment of chronic infection: If the results from initial and follow-up testing indicate that a person has chronic hepatitis B, then the individual may be treated with medication and the effectiveness of that treatment may be monitored using the tests for HBe and HBs antigen and antibody and HBV DNA:

Are There Blood Tests For Hepatitis B

Yes. Many chronically infected persons show no outward signs of hepatitis B infection. Therefore, screening for hepatitis B is important and necessary. Ask your doctor for the following blood tests:

HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN : Tells if you have chronic hepatitis B. Only the HBsAg blood test can tell if you have chronic hepatitis B.

HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIBODY : Tells if you are protected against hepatitis B.

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The Treatment Programs Role In The Screening Process

Medical staff members at substance abuse treatment programs might assume the primary role for screening individuals for and explaining the screening process and test results. Opioid treatment programs with medical staff members should screen for and C at intake and periodically as indicated. In programs without onsite medical staff, clients may be referred elsewhere for screening with minimal involvement of the substance abuse treatment program.

Regardless of the type of program, counselors should have a basic understanding of the importance of screening, the screening process, and the meaning of the results. Counselors can encourage clients referred for screening to follow through and complete the screening and evaluation process . Clients might feel anxious about being diagnosed with hepatitis, and they might delay or avoid getting screened.

How To Get Tested

Hepatitis B testing is typically prescribed by a doctor and performed in a hospital, lab, or other medical setting. Taking a hepatitis B test requires a blood sample, which can be collected by a health care professional.

For laboratory-based testing, blood is drawn from a patientâs vein. After blood is collected, the sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis.

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Preparation Prior To Transport

Label the specimen container with the patients full name, date of collection and one other unique identifier such as the patients date of birth or Health Card Number. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection or testing delay.

Centrifuge if using SST. Place specimen in biohazard bag and seal. Specimens should be stored at 2-8°C following collection.

Specimens more than the following number of days post collection will not be tested:

• > 6 days for Hepatitis B surface antigen
• > 7 days for Hepatitis B e Antigen and Hepatitis B e Antibody
• > 10 days for Hepatitis B core Antigen and Hepatitis B surface Antibody

What To Expect From Your Doctor

Hep B can be very complex and not every doctor has a good understanding of it. You can check our directoryfor a hep B specialist doctor or use our resources to help you and your doctor through hep B testing.

Your doctor might ask you about your family history of hep B or liver disease, where you were born, and any other possible exposures to hep B such as unprotected sex or injecting drug use.

You can tell your doctor as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. More information can help your doctor make the best decisions for your health, but what you share with them is up to you.

You might be able to access healthcare via your computer or phone.

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The Hep B Blood Tests

There are 3 hep B tests called HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc. You should make sure your doctor does all three hep B tests. Our hep B testing chart can explain each test and help you to make sure your doctor does all the tests you need.

These three tests tell you if you have hep B, if you are protected against hep B , and if you have ever come into contact with hep B. Getting all three tests is important to helps you and our doctor understand your hep B status.

Preparing Clients For Screening

Once clients are comfortable talking about viral , they might be more willing to undergo screening. However, clients might be anxious about the test itself a reassurance that testing is a simple procedure can help allay these concerns. Many substance use treatment facilities do not offer screening, and clients might need to be referred elsewhere. The following strategies can enhance the discussion of the hepatitis screening process and hepatitis prevention:

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Whats The Procedure For A Hepatitis B Titer Test

A hepatitis titer test requires a healthcare professional to draw a small amount of blood for testing.

No special preparation is needed beforehand. If needles or the sight of blood make you anxious, you may want to arrange a drive ahead of time in case you feel faint.

Heres what will typically happen during this test:

Home tests that require a fingerpick are also available. The results of your tests are generally available within 3 days.