How to screen for hepatitis B
Three blood tests should be done for HBV screening: HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc:
| HBsAg | Anti-HBs | Anti-HBc | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| POS | POS or NEG | POS | Infected. Chronic infection if HBsAg positive > 6 months |
| NEG | POS | NEG | Immunity through vaccination |
| NEG | POS or NEG | POS | Infection resolved. Sometimes anti-HBs titers can fall many years after resolved infection but anti-HBc can still be detected. NB: HBV infection can reactivate if profoundly immune suppressed, such as with bone marrow transplantation or anti-CD20 therapy |
| NEG | NEG | NEG | Susceptible to infection. Vaccinate if exposure risk to hepatitis B remains high |
Move on to one of the following pages:
- Detailed explanation of HBV screening serology
- How to evaluate the HBsAg positive individual