Hepatitis B

Serologies

Test Interpretation Vaccination
HBsAg HBsAb HBc Ab
- - - Susceptible Vaccinate
- + - Immunized Not indicated
- + + Immune due to natural infection Not indicated
+ - +
IgM + 		Acutely infected Not indicated
+ - +
IgM - 		Chronically infected Not indicated
- - + Equivocal Clinical judgment
  1. May be distantly immune, but the test may not be sensitive enough to detect a very low level of anti-HBs in serum
  2. May be susceptible with a false positive anti-HBc
  3. May be chronically infected and have an undetectable level of HBsAg present in the serum
  4. May be passive transfer of anti-HBc to infant born to HBsAg-positive mother
  5. May be recovering from acute HBV infection and detectable anti-HBs has not yet appeared