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Hepatitis B test: total antibodies to HBcAg (Anti-HBc) in blood
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Anti-HBc is normally absent in blood serum.
HB c Ag is detected only in the nuclei of hepatocytes. HBc Ag is not detected in free form in the blood. The nuclear location of HB c Ag, close to the nucleus of the virus, determines its high immunogenicity. Antibodies to the nuclear antigen of HBV appear first among other antibodies associated with viral hepatitis B, in the blood serum of patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis B, as well as in convalescents.
Total antibodies to HB c Ag consist of IgM and IgG. Determination of total antibodies can only be used for retrospective diagnostics of viral hepatitis B, since 5-10% of patients have negative HB s Ag tests. In order to determine the stage of development of viral hepatitis B, additional determination of IgM antibodies is necessary. IgM antibodies are a marker of active viral replication, i.e. acute infection, and IgG antibodies are a marker of past infection.
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