Cat.No.: HBV 913/914

SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION

HBeAg is the extracellular form of HBcAg, which is why the presence of both are markers of viral replication, and antibodies for these antigens are markers of a decline in replication. HBeAb is the antibody to HBeAg. HBeAb appears either at the time e antigen disappears or 1-2 weeks later. Since the disappearance of e antigens occurs shortly before the disappearance of the surface antigen (HbsAg), detection of HBeAb usually means that the acute stage of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is over or nearly over and that infectivity for others is much lower. In a few cases, there are short periods of e-antigen and e-antibody coexistence. The presence of HBeAb is generally taken to be a good sign and indicates a favourable prognosis.