Saturday, January 31, 2015

Hepatitis B serum markers mnemonic

HBsAg: Surface protein of hepatitis B which means the person has infection presently. It's a marker for current infection.
Mnemonic: S antigen Stays in Sick patients (Active or chronic infection, negative in resolved infection).

HBsAb: This means the body fought the infection and has created an antibody against it for future reference. Marker for recovery or immunity.
HBsAb IgM: Acute.
HBsAb IgG: Chronic.
Mnemonic: M comes before G in the word iMmunoGlobulin and Active infection comes before it gets Chronic.

Vaccination: If you are previously vaccinated, HBsAb IgG only without any other markers suggesting infection.
Mnemonic: S antibody Stays in Safe patients (Immunized or resolved infection - there is no HbsAB in active or chronic hepatitis B infection).

HBeAg: Extracellular cover of the core of the hepatitis B virus. If it is present, it means the patient is infectious since the virus is replicating actively. Hepatitis B e antigen marks active infection.
Mnemonic: A, E, I are vowels. Actively Infected if E antigen is present (Acute infection or immune active chronic hepatitis B).

HBeAb: It is usually a marker of the recovery phase of infection. The infection is resolving but may or may not have resolved. 
Mnemonic: HBeAb means in RecoveREE. 

HBcAg: Core protein. Never seen in the serum.
HBcAb: Marker of past or present infection.
Mnemonic: You do Not C (see) HbC aNtigen in serum.

HBcAb IgM: Acute.
HBcAb IgG: Chronic.
Mnemonic: Same mnemonic, M comes before G in the word iMmunoGlobulin and Active infection comes before it gets Chronic.

HBV DNA: Measures virus activity.

Hope that helped!

Random fact: If the HBV infection was acquired during the infancy period/through vertical transmission, it is likely to become chronic since the infant is unable to produce this antibody at that time. These patients are typically in the immune tolerant phase where HBeAg is positive and HBeAb is negative for the first few decades of their lives.

That's all!

-IkaN

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11 comments:

  1. Nice! U made it easy to rmr Ikan.. thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's soo helpful... God bless u .. keep up the good work :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very easy to remember! Thank u so much ...very great work...wish u all success...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you found it helpful, Dharani!
      Thank you for the good wishes <3

      Delete
  4. there is mistake in HBsAB, its HBcAB that rises during acute and chronic recovery i.e. IgM in acute while IgG in chronic
    HbsABs are negative during ongoing infection

    ReplyDelete

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