Hepatitis B test: IgM antibodies to HBcAg (Anti-HBcIgM) in the blood
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Anti-HB with IgM in serum is normal.
Anti-HB c IgM is detected already at the onset of the acute phase of the disease, even before or during the first days of jaundice, sometimes even at the end of the incubation period. The detection of anti-HB with IgM is a convincing criterion for the diagnosis of viral hepatitis B, especially with negative results of the study on HB with Ag. Anti-HB c IgM circulate in the blood of patients for several months (2-5 months) until the period of convalescence, and then disappear, which is regarded as a sign of cleansing the body of the virus from the virus hepatitis B.
The blood test for the presence of anti-HB c IgM is carried out for the following purposes:
- Diagnosis of an acute period of viral hepatitis B;
- diagnosis of the period of convalescence of viral hepatitis B;
- diagnosis of anti-HB s - positive chronic viral hepatitis B;
- diagnosis of chronic viral carrier of hepatitis B virus.
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