A nurse has been found to be seropositive for both HbsAg and HBeAg. She is suffering from-: (A) Concurrent Hep B and Hep E infection, (B) Acute infectious Hepatitis B, (C) Chronic Hepatitis B infection, (D) Past hepatitis B infection
Answer is B. HBsAg is an indicator of active infection in HBV infection. Hbs Ag appears in the blood late in the incubation period,but before the prodromal phase of acute type B hepatitis ;it may be present for a few days only,disappearing even before jaundice has developed ,but usually lasts for 3-4weeks & can persist for upto 5 months. HBeAg is an indicator of viral replication .In acute hepatitis B it may appear only transiently at the outset of the illness;its appearance is followed by the production of anti-HBe. Reference: Harrison20th edition pg 987