IgM Antibody to Hepatitis B Core Antigen as a Diagnostic Parameter of Acute Infection with Hepatitis B Virus

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 143; no. 6; pp. 803 - 809
• Main Authors: Lemon, Stanley M., Gates, Norman L., Simms, Thomas E., Bancroft, William H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The University of Chicago Press 01.06.1981; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - biosynthesis; Antigens, Surface; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology; Carrier State - immunology; Geometric mean; Hepatitis; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis A - immunology; Hepatitis antigens; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - diagnosis; Hepatitis B Core Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C - immunology; Immune Sera - pharmacology; Immunoglobulin M - biosynthesis; Infections; Medical Microbiology; Pan troglodytes; Radioimmunoassay; Viral hepatitis
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/143.6.803

Because many patients with acute hepatitis B lack detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), a radioimmunoassay for IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) was developed and evaluated as a diagnostic test. IgM anti-HBc was detected in each of 47 patients with acute hepatitis and transient HBsAg (geometric mean titer, ⩾1: 191,000), but also in five of 12 HBsAg carriers (geometric mean titer, 1:459) and one of 46 healthy individuals positive for anti-HBc. However, it was not present in one patient during the first six months of a persistent infection. Of 255 patients with acute hepatitis and HBsAg and/or anti-HBc, 210 were HBsAg-positive whereas 230 had IgM anti-HBc. The latter was the only specific marker in 12.3% of all cases of acute hepatitis B. Thus, IgM anti-HBc is a valuable marker for the diagnosis of acute infection with hepatitis B virus.