Interpretation of the Hepatitis B Panel

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Interpretation of the Hepatitis B Panel
Tests	Results	Interpretation
HBsAg anti-HBc anti-HBs	negative negative negative	susceptible
HBsAg anti-HBc anti-HBs	negative positive positive	immune due to natural infection
HBsAg anti-HBc anti-HBs	negative negative positive	immune due to hepatitis B vaccination
HBsAg anti-HBc IgM anti-HBc anti-HBs	positive positive positive negative	acutely infected
HBsAg anti-HBc IgM anti-HBc anti-HBs	positive positive negative negative	chronically infected
HBsAg anti-HBc anti-HBs	negative positive negative	four interpretations possible *

* 1. May be recovering from acute HBV infection.
    2. May be distantly immune and test not sensitive enough to to detect very low level of anti-HBs in serum.
    3. May be susceptible with a false positive anti-HBc.
    4. May be undetectable level of HBsAg present in the serum and the person is actually a carrier.

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This page last reviewed October 16, 2007

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Division of Viral Hepatitis
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Infectious Diseases

US Department of Health and Human Services

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