Table 2.
CDC Recommendations for Screening
| At-Risk Population | Initial Screening Tests |
|---|---|
| Persons born in regions with HBV prevalence > 2% | HBsAg |
| U.S. born persons not vaccinated as infants and whose parents were born in regions with HBV prevalence > 8% | HBsAg |
| Injection drug users | HBsAg, anti-HBc, or anti-HBs |
| Men who have sex with men | HBsAg, anti-HBc, or anti-HBs |
| Prior to immunosuppression | HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs |
| Elevated ALT/AST of unknown etiology | HBsAg |
| Donors of blood, plasma, organs, tissues, or semen | HBsAg, anti-HBc, and HBV DNA |
| Hemodialysis patients | HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs |
| All pregnant women | HBsAg |
| Infants born to HBsAg positive mothers | HBsAg and anti-HBs after 1–2 months of completion of vaccination series |
| Household, needle sharing, or sex contacts with persons who are HBsAg positive | HBsAg, anti-HBc, or anti-HBs |
| Source person in sexual assault or needlestick injury | HBsAg |
| Persons who are HIV positive | HBsAg, anti-HBc, and/or anti-HBs |
Abbreviations: anti-HBc, hepatitis B core antibody; anti-HBs, hepatitis B surface antibody; HBsAg, hepatitis b surface antigen.
Adapted from: Weinbaum CM, Williams I, Mast EE, et al; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations for identification and public health management of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2008;57(RR-8):10–11.