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How Is The Duration Calculated For Acute Hepatitis B To Turn Chronic? From Time Of Exposure Or When Symptoms Appear?
hello sir, I am a male, 28 years old, I am having acute hepatitis b now, my doctor told me if I wont recover with in six months, I'll develop chronic hepatitis b, I was sexually exposed to a hepatitis positive girl on first week of June 2013, my symptoms were appeared on September 10th of 2013, so from when my 6 months(acute hep b period) will start, is it from my first contact with virus or the date when my symptoms were appeared, please clarify it.
Sorry sir I did not have digital copy of my report so I'm mentioning it here
HBc IgM : 32.7mIU/ML
Thank you
Sorry sir I did not have digital copy of my report so I'm mentioning it here
HBc IgM : 32.7mIU/ML
Thank you
posted on
Wed, 11 Dec 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 11 Dec 2013
Answered on
Thu, 12 Dec 2013
Last reviewed on
Hi,
Welcome to HCM,
At present you have acute hepatitis B infection, means you have got the virus within last 6 months. This we can say, as you have IgM antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen. You will be advised to do blood test for HBs Ag, anti HBc, IgM anti HBc again after 6 months of first diagnosis. These tests we do to see whether hepatitis B infection has resolved or it has become chronic. If your HBs antigen becomes negative, and anti HBc is positive, it means that your body's immune system has cleared the virus. If HBsAg remains positive, and IgM anti HBc becomes negative, it means you have chronic hepatitis.
So it is not the duration as such from the time of contact or Symptoms, but we do evaluation of different antigen and antibody levels , and liver enzymes level within 6 months interval. Depending on presence or absence of different antigens and antibody levels, we make the diagnosis.
I know, it is bit difficult for you to understand, but i am sure you understand the significance to do lab test, for diagnosis of chronic hepatitis.
Dr H Hamdani
Welcome to HCM,
At present you have acute hepatitis B infection, means you have got the virus within last 6 months. This we can say, as you have IgM antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen. You will be advised to do blood test for HBs Ag, anti HBc, IgM anti HBc again after 6 months of first diagnosis. These tests we do to see whether hepatitis B infection has resolved or it has become chronic. If your HBs antigen becomes negative, and anti HBc is positive, it means that your body's immune system has cleared the virus. If HBsAg remains positive, and IgM anti HBc becomes negative, it means you have chronic hepatitis.
So it is not the duration as such from the time of contact or Symptoms, but we do evaluation of different antigen and antibody levels , and liver enzymes level within 6 months interval. Depending on presence or absence of different antigens and antibody levels, we make the diagnosis.
I know, it is bit difficult for you to understand, but i am sure you understand the significance to do lab test, for diagnosis of chronic hepatitis.
Dr H Hamdani
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