Interpretation of Hepatitis B Virus Results (HBV)

Use this table to interpret test results and to understand the status of your Hepatitis B patients.

Tests

Results

Interpretation

HBsAg
HBcAb, Total
HBsAb

Negative
Negative
Negative

Susceptible

HBsAg
HBcAb, Total
HBsAb

Negative
Positive
Positive

Immune due to natural infection

HBsAg
HBcAb, Total
HBsAb

Negative
Negative
Positive

Immune due to Hepatitis B vaccination

HBsAg
HBcAb, Total
HBcAb, IgM
HBsAb

Positive
Positive
Positive
Negative

Acutely infected

HBsAg
HBcAb, Total
HBcAb, IgM
HBsAb

Positive
Positive
Negative
Negative

Chronically infected

HBsAg
HBcAb, Total
HBsAb

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 detect very low level of HBsAb in serum
  3. May be susceptible with a false positive HBcAb, Total
  4. May be undetectable level of HbsAg present in the serum and the person is actually a carrier

Test

Name

HBsAg

Hepatitis B surface antigen

HBcAb, Total

Total antibody (IgM and IgG) to hepatitis B core antigen

HBcAb, IgM

IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen

HBsAb

Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen