Question
Which of the following markers in the blood is the most reliable indicator of recent infection caused by organism shown in photograph below?
A. HBsAg.
B. IgG anti – HBs.
C. IgM anti – HBc.
D. IgM anti – Hbe.
Show Answer
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Correct Answer » C
Explanation
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Ans: C. IgM anti – HBc.
Image shown is of Hepatits B.
Hepatitis B virus
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a member of the hepadnavirus family.
- The virus particle (virion) consists of an outer lipid envelope and an icosahedral nucleocapsid core
- The genome of HBV is made of circular DNA, but it is unusual because the DNA is not fully double-stranded.
- The nucleocapsid encloses the viral DNA and a DNA polymerase that has reverse transcriptase activity.
Antigens :
- Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
- Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg)
- Hepatitis B viral protein(HBeAg)
- Hbs Ag is present in recent hepatitis B infection but it is not specific to acute infection (it may also be seen in carriers).
- IgM antibodies specific to the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc IgM) is specific for acute or recent hepatitis, and hence is the answer of choice.
