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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2018 Apr;15(2):172–181. doi: 10.1007/s11904-018-0379-y

Table 1.

Interpretation of Hepatitis B Serologies

HBsAg Anti-HBc IgM Anti-HBc Anti-HBs Interpretation
Negative --- Negative Negative Susceptible
Negative --- Positive Positive Immune Due to Previous Infection
Negative --- Negative Positive Immune Due to Hepatitis B Vaccination
Positive Positive Positive Negative Acute Infection
Positive Negative Positive Negative Chronic Infection
Negative --- Positive Negative Isolated anti-HBc Pattern:

  1. Resolved infection with waning immunity (most common)

  2. False-positive anti-HBc

  3. “Low level” chronic infection i.e. occult HBV viremia

  4. Resolving acute infection

Definitions: HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; Anti-HBc IgM: antibody to Hepatitis B core antigen; Anti-HBs: antibody to HBsAg