What is a HBsAg test?

Hepatitis B surface antigen or HBsAg is a type of blood test. This test is ordered by a doctor to determine if a person is infected with the hepatitis B virus. If it is found in a person’s bloodstream, along with specific antibodies, it means the person has a hepatitis B infection. This infection can also be passed on to other people through your blood or body fluids.

HBsAg test cost in Kolkata is normally around Rs. 400.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus or HBV.

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), around 3,000 people in the United States die every year from complications caused by hepatitis B. It is suspected that 1.4 million people in America have chronic hepatitis B.

HBV infection can be of two types: acute or chronic.

Symptoms of acute hepatitis B seem to appear quickly in adults. Infants who are infected at birth rarely develop acute hepatitis B alone. In the case of infants, nearly all hepatitis B infections go on to become chronic.

In case of chronic hepatitis B, symptoms may not be noticeable unless complications develop. Chronic hepatitis B normally develops slowly.

Is Hepatitis B contagious?

Hepatitis B is a highly contagious disease. It spreads through certain bodily fluids. It also spreads through infected blood. The virus does not spread through sharing utensils or kissing although the virus can be found through saliva. It doesn’t spread through sneezing, coughing, or breastfeeding as well. Symptoms of hepatitis B can last for 2–12 weeks. The virus can live outside the body for up to seven days.

Possible methods of transmission of the virus include:

• Any direct contact with infected blood
• The virus being transferred from mother to baby during birth
• Through a needle contaminated with the virus
• Any intimate contact with a person already infected with HBV
• Oral, vaginal or anal sex
• Using any personal item or a razor which has the remaining of infected fluid

Who is at risk for hepatitis B?

Certain groups who are at high risk of HBV infection include:

• Healthcare workers
• People with multiple sex partners
• People with chronic liver disease
• People with kidney disease
• People over the age of 60 with diabetes

Symptoms of Hepatitis B

Symptoms of Hepatitis B may not show up until 1 to 6 months after you are infected. If however you do have symptoms, they might include:

• Pain in belly
• Pain in joint
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Persistent fatigue
• Fever
• Light-colored poop
• Jaundice (Yellow skin and white of eyes and yellow or orangish colour of pee)

What do the test results mean?

Results of HBV serologic blood markers can be reported qualitatively or quantitatively as international units (IU) or signal per cutoff (s/c) value.

• A hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level of less than 1 s/c is considered negative.
• A level of more than 5 s/c is considered positive.

The best Diagnostic Centre in Kolkata to get your HBsAg test done

Almost all the healthcare service providers in Kolkata provide HBsAg test. If you stay in Kasba, Baruipur or Barasat region, then AccuHealth Diagnostics is definitely worth giving a try. Accuhealth also provides home collection facilities for the residents of the entire Kolkata and adjoining areas at affordable cost. Accuhealth has advanced machineries and trained staff to take care of all your healthcare needs.