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The University of Chicago Medicine Laboratories

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Mayo Clinic Laboratories

Test Code HBCT Hepatitis B Core Antibodies Total

Important Note

This test may be affected by biotin interference. Patients on high dose biotin (5mg/day or more) should not have samples drawn until at least 24 hours after the last biotin administration.

Infectious

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Serum

Preferred Specimen: Red Top

Acceptable Tube Types: None 

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

7 days

Refrigerated

14 days

Frozen

3 months

 

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

  • Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
  • Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Aliquot sample into plastic transport tube containing a minimum of 0.2 mL of specimen.
  • Samples must be sent room temperature at 15-25oC.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Specimens that are clotted or grossly hemolyzed.
  • Specimens that were transported unspun/whole blood and draw time is greater than 6 hours

Reference Values

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range

Hepatitis B Core, Total

All

All

Non-reactive

 

Critical Values

Not applicable 

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

 

STAT Turnaround Time: Not available as STAT test

Routine Turnaround Time: 4 hours

Testing Schedule:  24/7

Clinical Indications

Hepatitis B virus core antibodies (anti-HBc) appear shortly after the onset of symptoms of hepatitis B infection and soon after the appearance of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Initially, anti-HBc consist almost entirely of the IgM antibody class, followed by appearance of anti-HBc IgG for which there is no commercial diagnostic assay.

 

The anti-HBc total antibody test, which detects both IgM and IgG antibodies, and the test for anti-HBc IgM may be the only markers of recent hepatitis B detectable in the "window period." The window period begins with the clearance of HBsAg and ends with the appearance of anti-HBs. Anti-HBc total may be the only serologic marker remaining years after exposure to hepatitis B virus.

Test Components

Hepatitis B Virus Core Total Antibody

Methodology

Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) (Roche Diagnostics)

CPT Codes

86704

LOINC Codes

13952-7

Synonyms/Keyword Search

HBCT, Hepatitis B Virus Core Total Antibodies, AHAVIgM

Additional Information

  • Negative hepatitis B virus core total antibody (anti-HBc total) test results indicate the absence of exposure to hepatitis B virus and no evidence of recent, past/resolved, or chronic hepatitis B.
  • A positive result indicates acute, chronic, or past or resolved hepatitis B.
  • An inconclusive result suggests the presence of an interfering substance in the patient's serum specimen.
  • Positive anti-HBc total test results should be correlated with the presence of other hepatitis B virus serologic markers, elevated liver enzymes, clinical signs and symptoms, and a history of risk factors.
  • If clinically indicated, testing for anti-HBc IgM (HBIM / Hepatitis B Virus Core Antibody, IgM, Serum) is necessary to confirm an acute or recent infection.
  • Neonatal patients (<1 month old) with positive anti-HBc total results from this assay should be tested for anti-HBc IgM (HBIM / Hepatitis B Virus Core Antibody, IgM, Serum) to rule out possible maternal anti-HBc causing false-positive results. Repeat testing using this assay for anti-HBc total within 1 month is also recommended for these neonatal patients.

Last Review Date

06/14/2024