Which of the following statements about the indication of Hepatitis B infection is TRUE?

The statement that chronic Hepatitis B infection can be asymptomatic is indeed true. Many individuals who are infected with Hepatitis B may not exhibit any symptoms for years, which can lead to a lack of awareness about their infection status. This asymptomatic phase is particularly critical because it allows for the potential for liver damage to progress unnoticed and increases the risk of transmission to others.

Chronic infections often lead to serious complications over time, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer, but the absence of symptoms can make it challenging for patients to seek timely medical evaluation and treatment. This emphasizes the importance of regular screening and monitoring, particularly in populations at higher risk of Hepatitis B infection.

The other statements, while they might contain elements of truth, do not accurately reflect the broader context or implications of Hepatitis B infection. For example, the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen does indicate active disease, but it is not solely definitive for all cases and requires additional testing to understand the infection status fully. Additionally, reverse transcriptase is indeed part of the replication process for Hepatitis B, but the implications of its function are specific to the virus’s life cycle rather than indicating disease presence directly. Lastly, the risk associated with Hepatitis B is significant,