Q-Lisa HBsAg Test

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 infect the liver, causing hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation. HBV infection can be either acute or chronic (CHB) and the persistance of chronic hepatitis B for six months or more is a major public health problem. Worldwide, there is an estimated 240 million CHB cases, particularly in low- and middle-income countries; causing 650,000 deaths annually.

The HBV is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood through unprotected sex, unsterile needles, unsterile medical or dental equipments 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 analysis or later in life after there is an inflammation of the liver. 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-Lisa HBsAg test is an enzyme immunoassay based on double antibody sandwich assay. The Q-Lisa HbsAg ELISA detects HBsAg in human serum and plasma. It is intended for screening blood donors before transfusion and the individuals at risk for hepatitis B in a clinical lab setup.