What is a hepatitis B half test? In layman’s terms, hepatitis B two-and-a-half includes: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B e antibody (HBeAb), and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb). If you go to the hospital for a two-to-one test there are generally two options, one is cheaper, a qualitative test, and one is relatively more expensive, a quantitative test. A qualitative test is one that can only show a positive negative, and is generally used for patients who are not sure if they have hepatitis B and are having their first medical checkup. The quantitative test not only shows whether the test is positive or negative, but also allows for further quantification, and is currently used mainly for patients who are being treated for hepatitis B. The quantitative comparison can be used to determine how effective the treatment is, especially for patients treated with interferon. In addition the usual outpatient clinics often see patients who have been identified as hepatitis B virus carriers having their hepatitis B two pairs of half checked every so often, months or years, which I personally believe is unnecessary. Generally speaking, if a person is chronically infected, the hepatitis B two pairs of half basically will not change, theoretically it will take 40 or 50 years before the hepatitis B virus has the possibility to clear itself. So you can save this money for other necessary tests. The clinical significance of each item in the two-and-a-half check 1, HBsAg – surface antigen: is not hepatitis B mainly depends on this one, if it shows positive, it is a sign of infection with the hepatitis B virus. If you check again every six months or positive, basically determine that there is a chronic type B virus infection. But it does not reflect the strength of the virus replication and infection, if you want to know how infectious, you must further check the hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV-DNA) to see how much virus is in the body and how infectious it is. 2, HBsAb – surface antibody: whether there is protection depends on this, if the surface antigen negative, surface antibody positive, then congratulations on your self-protection ability. If you want to know more about the strength of protection, this is where the hepatitis B two-to-one semi-quantitative test comes in handy, greater than 10 IU/ML indicates protection. Generally speaking, the antibodies produced after vaccination can last for about 12 years. 3, HBeAg-e antigen: is not the big three yang look at this, usually people will say big three yang, mainly to see this, if the positive, suggesting that the virus replication is more powerful, if the core antibody is also positive at this time, called the big three yang. 4, HBeAb-e antibody: is not a small three positive look at this, this antibody is not protective, if this positive, the core antibody is also positive, called small three positive. If you are a patient of interferon, the process of switching from major to minor triplets suggests that the efficacy may be maintained for a longer period of time after stopping the medication. It is worth noting that most people have the misconception that a major triplet is serious and a minor triplet does not matter. The current infectiousness depends on the HBV-DNA, but there are also large triplets with low viruses and small triplets with high viruses. Especially after 40 years of age, patients with small triplets should pay particular attention to regular hospital checkups, not because it is small triplets indifferent to it. 5, HBcAb-core antibody: a sign of previous infection. The hint is that you have been infected with this virus when you were unaware of it. Usually this indicator is positive and can last for more than ten years. Usually there are three results after infection with the hepatitis B virus, one is infected, at this time, the core antibody and surface antigen will be positive, six months after the recheck or such a result, is chronic infection Another is to generate resistance, which shows a positive core antibody and surface antibody. Another result is that the person is not infected with hepatitis B and has not developed antibodies, but is only positive for core antibodies. In this case, the vaccine can be given to see if antibodies can be produced. In rare cases, it has been seen that patients who were originally positive for core antibodies alone have become major or minor triplets after the use of immunosuppressive drugs.