What does Hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive mean? Is it contagious?

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. The disease is widely prevalent throughout the world, mainly affecting children and young adults. A small number of patients may develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. So is this disease contagious?

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. The disease is widely prevalent throughout the world, mainly affecting children and young adults. A small number of patients may develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. Therefore, it has become a global disease that threatens human health, and is also the most widespread and most harmful infectious disease in my country. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a condition of hepatitis B, which mainly refers to the situation where the surface antigen, e antigen and core antibody are positive in the five hepatitis B tests. Many people don’t quite understand Hepatitis B virus (HBV), so is Hepatitis B virus (HBV) contagious? Regarding this question, liver disease experts analyze it for us below.

What is Hepatitis B virus (HBV)?

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive indicates the presence of HBV virus in the patient's body. Infectivity is a common characteristic of HBV, so Hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive is contagious. The strength of the infectivity needs to be judged based on the results of the HBV DNA test. Under normal circumstances, a positive HBV DNA test indicates that the virus is actively replicating in the body, the virus content is high, and the infectivity is relatively strong. If the HBV DNA test is negative, it means that the virus replication level is low and the infectivity is relatively weak. However, as long as the virus exists in the patient's body, it is contagious.

Liver disease experts point out that the main transmission routes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) include the following:

First, sexually transmitted hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease, which has been confirmed both at home and abroad. A large amount of data proves that hepatitis B virus can be transmitted through sexual intercourse. For example, experimental infection of hepatitis B virus was successfully established by inoculating infectious semen into monkeys through the vagina. Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBsAg and HBV, DNA) can be detected in the semen, vaginal secretions and menstrual blood of hepatitis B patients or hepatitis B virus carriers. Survey data in the United States show that among hepatitis B patients with a clear source of infection, 1/3 are male homosexuals; 1/4 are infected through contact with heterosexuals, so more than half of hepatitis B cases among adults are related to sexual contact. A recent study suggests that in Western societies, heterosexual transmission appears to be an important route of hepatitis B transmission among women, while for men, sexual contact and intravenous drug use are equally common.

Second, mother-to-child transmission refers to a woman being infected with the hepatitis B virus before or during pregnancy, so that the hepatitis B virus is transmitted to the baby at birth or after birth, making the baby a hepatitis B carrier or hepatitis B patient. Mother-to-child transmission is an important route of hepatitis B transmission and is also an important reason for the high incidence of hepatitis B in some areas. my country is a high-incidence area of ​​hepatitis B, with the hepatitis B surface antigen carrier rate in the population as high as 10.34%. About 10% of pregnant women are hepatitis B virus carriers. It is estimated that 40% to 50% of hepatitis B surface antigen-positive people in the social population are due to the accumulation of perinatal infection with hepatitis B virus. They can become storage hosts of hepatitis B virus and are contagious. 25%-30% of infants who are hepatitis B surface antigen carriers may eventually develop chronic cirrhosis and primary liver cancer.