Hepatitis Testing: Types of Tests and What the Markers Show

In 1967, researcher Baruch Blumberg discovered the Australia antigen (HBsAg), which was later recognized as a marker of the hepatitis B virus. Since then, the phrase "get tested for hepatitis" has covered an entire system of tests.

What a hepatitis test is called and what types of tests exist

The main test when viral hepatitis is suspected is a blood test for viral hepatitis. A blood test is used to detect hepatitis C, and when hepatitis B is suspected it is used along with examination and medical history taking. Testing is offered if symptoms are present or if the doctor believes infection is possible.

Markers of viral hepatitis: what they mean

A marker is a molecule used to judge the presence of a pathogen or the body's response to it. In hepatitis B, the key markers are considered to be the antigens HBsAg, HBcAg, and HBeAg: their identification in the early 1970s created the basis for reliable diagnosis and vaccine development. Antigens are proteins of the virus itself; antibodies are a trace of the immune response.

What ALT and bilirubin show

Biochemical tests answer a different question: not "who is to blame" but "what is happening to the liver." As early as 1963, elevated aminotransferase activity in blood serum was found in viral hepatitis; ALT is also an aminotransferase. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment whose excess produces a sign visible to the eye: yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, that is, jaundice. In a chronic course, symptoms may not appear for decades, until complications develop. Dark urine and grayish, clay-colored stool serve as indirect clues.

Who is offered testing and how the diagnosis is made

The diagnosis is based on a conversation with the doctor, an examination, and laboratory tests for viral hepatitis. Screening also exists separately: testing of people without symptoms who are at increased risk. The risk group includes children born to mothers with hepatitis B, people who inject drugs, sexual partners of infected individuals, people living with a carrier and sharing razors and toothbrushes, healthcare workers exposed to blood, patients on hemodialysis, and people with diabetes, hepatitis C, or HIV.

How long results take and when to see a doctor

A hepatitis C test result may take up to two weeks. If the result is negative but infection could have occurred recently, the doctor may suggest repeating the test after six months: in the early period, testing is not always accurate. Symptoms of hepatitis B appear two to five months after infection, and with hepatitis C they may not occur at all, so waiting for manifestations is a poor strategy.

• fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes;
• suspicion that an infected person's blood has entered the body — injections, a tattoo or piercing in an unverified setting;
• shared needles, razors, or toothbrushes — contact with an infected person's blood;
• belonging to a high-risk group — hemodialysis, diabetes, HIV.

If possible contact with an infected person's blood has occurred, you should see a doctor immediately. Hepatitis C treatment cures the infection in most people.

A hepatitis diagnosis alone is not a reason to call an ambulance. Numbers 103 and 112 are needed if the condition sharply worsens: severe weakness, confusion, loss of consciousness, severe abdominal pain together with jaundice. In rare cases, acute hepatitis B leads to liver failure.

This material is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation: the numbers on the form should be interpreted by a doctor, not the internet.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer