What Is Hepatitis B Surface Antibody?
Disease description:
A friend of mine has been diagnosed with hepatitis B, and I’m worried that I might also be infected, so I went to the hospital for testing. The doctor said I needed to check my hepatitis B surface antibody—what exactly is the hepatitis B surface antibody?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Huang Wenxiang
Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) is a protective antibody produced by the body in response to stimulation by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen following HBV infection. This antibody confers immunity and prevents reinfection with HBV. A positive result for hepatitis B surface antibody on the “five-item HBV panel” test may arise from one of two scenarios: (1) prior vaccination against hepatitis B, or (2) past HBV infection that has since been cleared by the body, resulting in the development of protective antibodies.
