Hepatitis B infection is one of the most common infectious diseases of global significance. The infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that infects the liver, causing hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation. HBV infection can be either acute or chronic, or the associated illness ranges in severity from asymptomatic to symptomatic, progressive disease. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB), defined as persistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for six months or more is a major public health problem. Worldwide, there are an estimated 240 million chronically infected persons, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); causing 650,000 deaths annually due to CHB.

The HBV is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood. This can happen through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, unsterile needles, unsterile medical or dental equipment, and from a HBV infected mother to her baby at birth. Since HBV is a silent infection there can be years before it is detected. Children are especially vulnerable to chronic HBV. More than 90% of babies and up to 50% of young children infected with HBV will remain chronically infected, and most will have no symptoms and remains undetected until it is caught in routine blood work, blood donation, or later in life after there is liver inflammation or disease progression. In Asia, vertical transmission from mother to child is particularly common; whereas in Africa, horizontal transmission at a young age may be more likely. The infection is preventable by vaccination.

Q-Line® Rapid HBsAg Antibody Test Kit is intended for the detection of HBsAg in human serum, Plasma and whole blood. It is intended for screening blood donors before transfusion and the individuals at risk for hepatitis B, in a clinical lab setup.