Hepatitis B core IgM & Total (HBc IgM and Total) Test
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About Hepatitis B core IgM & Total (HBc IgM and Total) Test
Hepatitis B core IgM & total test looks for IgM and IgG antibodies in your blood. This test is used to determine whether you have a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
HBV has a core in the center and an envelope surrounding it. During the active phase of infection, your immune system produces IgM antibodies against the main component (core) of HBV. Several weeks after the initial HBV infection, your blood starts to display hepatitis B core IgM antibodies.
HBV is one of the five hepatitis viruses including Hepatitis A, C, D, and E. These 5 viruses are primarily responsible for hepatitis B infections. HBV virus can be transmitted via blood, seminal fluid, and vaginal secretions. After you contract hepatitis B, it can take anywhere between 60 to 150 days for symptoms to appear. Usually, this virus clears up on its own within six months. Sometimes, the virus does not go away in children, especially in newborns and a small proportion of adults. Chronic liver damage due to HBV infection leads to conditions like cirrhosis, liver cancer, scarring, or liver cell damage.
Thus, getting your Hepatitis B core IgM & total test done is recommended for diagnosing hepatitis B infection.
This test is also known as HBcAb, IgM anti-HBc.
Symptoms of Hepatitis B
The common symptoms of Hepatitis B include
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Fatigue
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Nausea
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Loss of appetite
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Muscle aches
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Fever
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Jaundice
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Dark colored urine
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Stomach pain
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Swelling and confusion
Who should get tested for Hepatitis B?
Risk factors for hepatitis B infection include
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Having sex with someone infected with the virus
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Living with someone who is infected
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Men who have had sex with other men
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Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment
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Being a child born to a mother who is infected
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Working in hospitals or clinics and being exposed to blood
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Receiving an organ transplant or blood transfusion. With active screening, the risk of infection can be minimized
Test preparation
No special preparation is required for Hepatitis B core IgM & Total test.
Test Results
| Parameters | Units | Non-reactive reference range |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis B Core Antibody (Anti-HBc), IgM | Index | <1.00 |
| Hepatitis B Core Antibody (Anti-HBc), Total | Index | <1.00 |
Interpretation of results
- Positive results for the total anti-hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) antibodies may indicate a recent, past/resolved, or chronic HBV infection.
- Negative results for anti-HBc total may indicate the absence of recent, past/resolved, or chronic hepatitis B infection. An inconclusive result for HBc total might be caused due to the presence of interfering substance in the patient's sample.
- Negative or non-reactive results for Hepatitis B Core Antibody (Anti-HBc), IgM means that no hepatitis B core IgM antibodies were found.
- Positive results for Hepatitis B Core Antibody (Anti-HBc), IgM means that hepatitis B core IgM antibodies were found and you have an active HBV infection.
- A negative anti-HBc IgM result with a positive anti-HBc total result may indicate past or chronic HBV infection.
- In babies under the age of 18 months, who test positive for anti-HBc total antibodies but test negative for anti-HBc IgM antibodies may have passively acquired maternal IgG antibodies.
FAQs on Hepatitis B core IgM & Total (HBc IgM and Total) Test
A blood sample is taken from a vein in the arm using a fine needle. This procedure typically takes no longer than five minutes.
This test involves negligible risk. There might be slight pain or tenderness around the site where the needle went in. Rarely, the site can become infected.
Hepatitis B core IgM & Total test result is usually available within 6 days, although it could take longer at times.
The Hepatitis B Core Total test is not useful for differentiating among acute, chronic, and past or resolved hepatitis B infection.
A newborn child can contract hepatitis B from the mother during delivery as the newborn is exposed to blood and bodily fluids. According to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 90% of mothers with an acute hepatitis B infection will transmit the virus to their newborn. Therefore, pregnant mothers are routinely screened for hepatitis B during each pregnancy. Also, infants whose mothers test positive for HBV are given the hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of birth to prevent infection.
Hepatitis B core IgM & Total (HBc IgM and Total) Test
