Presence of HBeAg in serum of a patient of hepatitis-B indicates: September 2009

Ans. D: Chronic, infectious stage To detect acute hepatitis B, infection: hepatitis B, surface-antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B, core antibody (anti-HBc), IgM and sometimes hepatitis B, e-antigen (HBeAg) To diagnose chronic HBV hepatitis: HBsAg, hepatitis B, virus (HBV) DNA, and sometimes HBeAg To monitor chronic hepatitis B, infection and its treatment: HBsAg, hepatitis B, e-antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B, surface antibody (anti-HBs) IgG, hepatitis B, e antibody (anti-HBe) IgG and HBV DNA. HBeAg, HBV-DNA and DNA polymerase appear in serum soon after HBsAg, and all signify active viral replication. Persistence of HBeAg is an impoant indicator of continued viral replication, infectivity and probable progression to chronic hepatitis. To detect previous exposure to hepatitis B, in a person who is immune compromised (when the virus can become reactivated): hepatitis B, core antibody (anti-HBc) total and anti-HBs