Blood Tests for Hepatitis: Detection and Diagnosis in 2024

The liver is essential to remove toxins from the blood, produce hormones, store vitamins, and for other functions. Hepatitis is a medical condition that causes damage to liver cells due to infection and causes various health issues. It can be in different forms due to other causes, but symptoms can be similar. According to type and cause, treatment can also vary. Viral Hepatitis is the most common among all its kinds. This blog will cover the type, cause, symptoms, and essential blood tests for Hepatitis, So stay with us.

Various types and causes of Hepatitis

Hepatitis comes in five different types- A, B, C, D, and E. Different virus is responsible for every kind of viral Hepatitis. These viruses can cause illness, and in some cases, they can create life-threatening complications. 

And there can be many reasons or cause like alcohol consumption, viral infection, several health conditions, or even medication for Hepatitis, and sometimes, it can be genetic ( a specific type of Hepatitis). Receipt of contaminated blood products and equipment is the common transmission mode for these viruses. For type B hepatitis, transmission can be from mother to her newborn child, family member to child, and by sexual contact. Now, let’s learn about some common types of Hepatitis.

• Hepatitis A- It is a very infective type of Hepatitis, and you can spread this virus before even feeling sick. Close personal contact with an infected person via sexual contact, caring for someone sick, or sharing needles with others can spread this Hepatitis virus A.
• Hepatitis B- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the cause of Hepatitis B. It is a vaccine-preventable liver infection. It increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis- a condition that permanently scars the liver. This virus can spread through sexual contact, sharing of needles, accidental needle sticks, or from a pregnant woman to a newborn. 
• Hepatitis C- Caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), it is a liver infection that compromises its health and functions. Most people get this infection by sharing needles or other equipment. It can also spread through contact with blood from an infected person.
• Hepatitis D- People who are also infected with hepatitis B only get infected by hepatitis D. When infected blood or other bodily fluids with the virus enter the body of someone who is not sick, it spreads the hepatitis D virus.
• Hepatitis E- An infected person’s stool contains HEV. The virus spreads even if someone unintentionally consumes the virus in minute quantities. Hepatitis E most frequently spreads in developing countries through drinking water that an infected person’s excrement has tainted. 

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis?

These are not exact, and only symptoms of Hepatitis, some people infected with Hepatitis did not have any symptoms. However, some people who were infected experienced symptoms like:

• Diarrhea
• Exhaustion
• Fever
• Nausea
• Jaundice, yellow skin, and eyes
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Joint pain
• Unusual weight loss
• Pale stool
• Malaise

These are the general symptoms of Hepatitis in people experienced who were infected. For a clear result, if you have Hepatitis or not, a Blood test for Hepatitis can help.

Hepatitis Tests

Common tests that can help you find by which Hepatitis virus you’re infected.

• Hepatitis A Test - Hepatitis A test looks for antibodies in your blood and finds out if you’re infected with the Hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A IgG and Hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibodies tests are two tests to identify the Hepatitis A virus. Your doctor will guide you through.
• Hepatitis B Test - This screens your blood for hepatitis B surface antigens. The test determines whether you have had a recent or ongoing hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Hepatitis B e-Antigen (HBeAg), Hepatitis B Core Total Antibodies (HBc), Hepatitis B surface Antibodies (HBsAb), and Hepatitis B virus Core IgM Antibodies (HBc IgM) are different tests for Hepatitis B with different parameters. Your doctor might suggest you take any of the tests mentioned above, depending on your condition.
• Hepatitis C Test - This test is used to find if someone has ever been infected with the hepatitis C virus. It looks for the hepatitis C virus in the blood. If a person gets tested positive, it indicates that the person might have the infection now or in the past, and a negative result indicates that the person does not have an infection.
• HBsAg Test (Hepatitis B surface Antigen) - This test detects the “surface antigen” of the hepatitis B virus, which is present in your blood. The person is infected if the HBsAg test result is positive or reactive.
• Anti-HBs or HBsAb Test - Anti-HBs are typically a sign of immunity and recovery from hepatitis B virus infection. A person who successfully received a hepatitis B vaccination also develops anti-HBs.
• Anti-HBc Test - This test detects IgM and IgG antibodies. Total anti-HBc is a marker for past or present hepatitis B virus infection over an ambiguous time. 

These tests are essential to determine the actual cause if you’re facing symptoms related to Hepatitis. But still, tests can vary, depending on the virus infected you. A simple blood test can tell you the actual cause. To avoid serious health issues, book your Hepatitis Blood Test with Redcliffe Labs, one of the best diagnosis labs across the nation. That too at a reasonable price. We also provide a free home sample collection service with accurate reports.