• surface antigen positivity suggests chronic carrier status

  • E antigen = high infectivity

  • core serconversion can occur if there is chronic active infection

  • HBV dna = measurements of viral load

  • HBs Ag = first marker of infection

  • core antigen only in HBV infected liver celss

    • 8 weeks after infection

  • E antigen marker for infectivity

    • suggest active viral replication

    • high levels of HBV DNA