Brief Answer:
Detailed explanations given below

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

HBcAb are the antibodies that we produce when we are in contact with the Hep B virus. They can be IgM or IgG antibodies. Tests don't distinguish IgG separately but IgM and the total (IgG+IgM). So HBc AB total and HBc Ab IgM mean the total antibodies against core antigen (a substance at the core of the virus) and IgM antibodies against the core antigen (IgM generally shows antibodies produced in acute infection).
So the positive HBc AB (total and IgM) means that the patient has been in contact with Hepatitis B virus and produced antibodies (IgG and IgM) to fight it.

The rest of the markers tell us what happened after the patient was in contact with the virus.
HBsAg is another substance in the surface of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Its presence means acute infection with HBV. The fact that it is negative in this case means that the patient is not having acute active infection from HBV.

The combination of a negative HBsAg with a positive HBcAb (total) very likely indicates that this is a resolved infection (the patient was in contact with the virus but fought the infection well and now is not infected anymore). This is the most common scenario. On the other hand, with these results there is a small chance for the next few scenarios as well:
- low level chronic infection (which means the patient is having the infection for a long time, it has not been resolved but has a little activity chronically in the patient)
- resolving acute infection (the patient has just had an acute infection with HBV but is in the phase of healing)

So to conclude the results very likely show that the patient has been in contact with the infection but has completely healed or is in the process of healing with very small chance that he might be having a chronic infection from HBV with very little activity.

N.B: if the IgM for HBc (which shows the presence of antibodies that fight the acute infection) is positive but HBsAg (which shows the presence of the surface antigen, the substance in the surface of the HBV) is negative this is a really not sure result and the patient might need to repeat the tests to make sure they are right.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General & Family Physician

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Brief Answer:
IgM if positive shows contact in recent weeks to months

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

It is impossible from the tests to know in terms of years when could the contact have been. Generally the presence of IgM means a recent infection within the last weeks to few months, not in terms of years.

It would be helpful for me to have the results uploaded because i am sure it is not only these markers that are checked and having the full picture will help in better understanding.


Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General & Family Physician

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Brief Answer:
It seems the lab requests to repeat the test as not enough specimen

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

According to the following statement in the lab report the lab recommends to repeat the IgM test because there was not enough specimen:

Request Problem 01
LabCorp was unable to collect sufficient specimen to perform the
following test(s), and is providing the patient with re-collection
instructions.
TEST: 138924 Hep B Core Ab, IgM Panel: 138698

So according to this they should tell you to repeat the test (there is no test result provided for IgM)
Please feel free to let us know when you have the new result so we can assist you with the proper test result.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General & Family Physician

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