In this article, I introduce the HBs antibody and HCV antibody among the items in the blood test.

What are antibodies?

To begin with, what is an antibody?　Antibodies are proteins that are produced by the body to kill foreign substances such as viruses and allergens when they invade our body. In addition, the virus or allergen is called “antigen”, and each antibody is made to order according to the various antigens.

So, HBs antibodies and HCV antibodies, as long as they are called “antibodies”, are designed to kill antigens, but what are these antigens?

HBs antibodies are against the hepatitis B virus, and HCV antibodies are against the hepatitis C virus. In other words, if your blood test is positive for these antibodies, it means that you have been infected with these hepatitis viruses before.

About Hepatitis

Let’s talk about hepatitis, which is caused by the hepatitis virus.

Symptoms of hepatitis include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, headache, muscle pain, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, and grayish white stools. There are various types of hepatitis, such as viral and alcoholic, but let’s discuss the main types, hepatitis A, B, and C.

Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A rarely becomes chronic and recovers in about one to two months.

Hepatitis A virus is often transmitted by eating raw seafood, so washing hands with soap and cooking seafood thoroughly are effective ways to prevent infection.

Hepatitis B and C, on the other hand, tend to become chronic and must be carefully monitored and treated. If hepatitis becomes chronic, there is a concern that it may worsen into cirrhosis or liver cancer, so if your blood test is positive for HBs or HCV antibodies, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is transmitted through the blood or body fluids of a person infected with the hepatitis B virus. It can also be transmitted from mother to child through bleeding in the birth canal if the mother is a carrier during childbirth. It can also be transmitted through inadequately sterilized medical instruments, piercing, and tattooing.

In Japan, from 1948 to 1988, syringes were used for mass vaccinations during childhood, and this led to the problem of hepatitis B virus infection.

Hepatitis B is not likely to become chronic when infected as an adult. However, if you are infected in childhood, the risk of chronicity increases because your immune system is more immature than adults. If you may have received mass vaccinations in your childhood during the above period, it is advisable to have your blood tested.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C, like hepatitis B, is also transmitted through blood.

The hepatitis C virus has been a problem in the past when people were infected by blood transfusions, blood clotting factor products and fibrinogen products used in blood transfusions. Currently, blood transfusions do not cause hepatitis C virus infection, but if you received a blood transfusion before 1992 due to an accident or surgery, used fibrinogen products before 1994, or used clotting factor products before 1988, you should have your blood tested.

Hepatitis C can be said to be more chronic and troublesome than other types of hepatitis. Nowadays, good medicines have been developed, so it is good to start treatment as soon as possible.

Finally

The liver is a very important organ. It performs a wide range of functions such as making proteins necessary for our body, storing nutrients, detoxifying and decomposing toxic substances such as alcohol, and making bile necessary for food digestion.

The liver is such a hardworking organ that it is also very patient and is called the “silent organ”. The liver is known as the “silent organ” and does not show subjective symptoms for a short time, but when it does, it tends to be too late.

In addition, the liver has a deep relationship with oxidative stress. Alcohol hepatitis is something that alcohol drinkers in particular should be aware of. In addition to viruses, alcohol can also cause hepatitis.