Immune due to natural infection
- HBsAg -
HBsAb +
HBeAb +
HBcAb +
Interpretation of the hepatitis B serologic panel
|
Tests |
Results |
Interpretation |
|
HBsAg |
Negative |
Susceptible |
|
anti-HBc |
Negative |
|
|
anti-HBs |
Negative |
|
|
HBsAg |
Negative |
Immune due to natural infection |
|
anti-HBc |
Positive |
|
|
anti-HBs |
Positive |
|
|
HBsAg |
Negative |
Immune due to hepatitis B vaccination* |
|
anti-HBc |
Negative |
|
|
anti-HBs |
Positive |
|
|
HBsAg |
Positive |
Acutely infected |
|
anti-HBc |
Positive |
|
|
IgM anti-HBc |
Positive |
|
|
anti-HBs |
Negative |
|
|
HBsAg |
Positive |
Chronically infected |
|
anti-HBc |
Positive |
|
|
IgM anti-HBc |
Negative |
|
|
anti-HBs |
Negative |
|
|
HBsAg |
Negative |
Four interpretations possible¶ |
|
anti-HBc |
Positive |
|
|
anti-HBs |
Negative |
HBsAg: hepatitis B surface antigen; anti-HBc: hepatitis B core antibody; anti-HBs: hepatitis B surface antibody; IgM: immunoglobulin M; HBV: hepatitis B virus.
* Antibody response (anti-HBs) can be measured quantitatively or qualitatively. A protective antibody response is reported quantitatively as 10 or more milliinternational units (≥10 milliint. unit/mL) or qualitatively as positive. Postvaccination testing should be completed one to two months after the third vaccine dose for results to be meaningful.
¶ Four interpretations:
Might be recovering from acute HBV infection.
Might be distantly immune and test not sensitive enough to detect very low level of anti-HBs in serum.
Might be susceptible with a false positive anti-HBc.
Might be undetectable level of HBsAg present in the serum, and the person is actually chronically infected.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hepatitis B information for health professionals: Interpretation of hepatitis B serologic test results. Available from the CDC website.
