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Test Code HBC Hepatitis B Core Total Antibodies Screen

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen
Hepatitis B Core Total Antibodies

Hepatitis B Core Total antibodies

Alternate Name(s)

Anti-HBc Qualitative

Methodology

Competitive Immunoassay

Patient Preparation

None

Collection Instructions

Standard phlebotomy practices.

Specimen Requirements

Container

Specimen Type

Tube

Serum

 or 

SST

Preferred

 or  or 

 

Stability

Storage

Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

18-28°C

< 8 hours

Refrigerated

 2-8°C

≤ 48 hours

Frozen

≤ -20 °C

28 days, thaw only once

Rejection Criteria

Gross Hemolysis

Result Reporting and Reference Values

Reference Range: Negative for all ages.

If positive testing for Hepatitis B Core IgM antibody is necessary to differentiate between acute and past HBV infection if clinically indicated.

Reflex Testing

None

Limitations

  • The results from this or any other diagnostic kit should be used and intrepreted only in the context of the overall clinical picture.
  • A negative test result does not exclude the possibility of exposure to hepatitis B virus. Levels of anti-HBc may be undetectable both in early infection and late after infection.
  • Heterophilic antibodies in serum samples may cause interference with immunoassays. These antibodies may be present in blood samples from individuals regularly exposed to animals or who have been treated with animal serum products. Results inconsistent with clinical observations indicate the need for additional testing.

Useful For

Following exposure to infectious hepatitis B virus (HBV), Anti-HBc is detectable shortly after the appearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). As the appearance of anti-HBsAg may be delayed after HBsAg clearance, anti-HBc is sometimes the only serological marker for HBV infection and potentially infectious blood. Anti-HBc is found in acute and chronic hepatitis B patients, and also indicates past resolved infection. The presence of anti-HBc acts as an aid in determining exposure to HBV infection prior to HBV vaccination.