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Test Code HBSAB Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antibody

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

Other Acceptable specimens: None

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

7 hours

Refrigerated

 6 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 Surface Antibody

All

All

Not applicable

 

Anti HBS (mIU/mL)

Result Interpretation

Clinical Interpretation of HBV immune status

<10

Negative/Non-Reactive

Individual is considered to be not immune to infection with HBV.

≥10

Positive/Reactive

Anti‑HBs concentration detected at > 10 mIU/mL. Individual is considered to be immune to infection with HBV.

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: up to 4 hours

Testing Schedule:  24/7

Clinical Indications

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that is endemic throughout the world. The infection is spread primarily through blood transfusion or percutaneous contact with infected blood products, such as sharing of needles among injection drug users. The virus is found in virtually every type of human body fluid and has been known to be spread through oral and genital contact. HBV can be transmitted from mother to child during delivery through contact with blood and vaginal secretions, but it is not commonly transmitted via the transplacental route.

 

The incubation period for HBV infection averages 60 to 90 days (range of 45-180 days). Common symptoms include malaise, fever, gastroenteritis, and jaundice (icterus). After acute infection, HBV infection becomes chronic in 30% to 90% of infected children younger than 5 years and in 5% to 10% of infected individuals 5 years or older. Some of these chronic carriers are asymptomatic, while others progress to chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

 

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is the first serologic marker, appearing in the serum 6 to 8 weeks following HBV infection. In acute cases, HBsAg usually disappears 1 to 2 months after the onset of symptoms with the appearance of HBs antibody (anti-HBs). Anti-HBs also appears as the immune response following hepatitis B vaccination.

Test Components

Hepatitis B surface Antibody

CPT Codes

86706

LOINC Codes

10900-9

Methodology

Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) (Roche Diagnostics)

Synonyms/Keyword Search

Antibody to Hepatitis B Surface Ag, HBsAb, Hepatitis B Surface Antibody, Hepatitis Bs Ab ,Anti-HBs, HBAB, Hepatitis B Surface Ab

Additional Information

  • The accepted criterion for immunity to HBV is ≥ 10 mIU/mL of anti-HBs, with mIU defined by the WHO Reference Preparation.
  • Non-Reactive Specimen: a result of <10 mIU/mL indicates that the sample is negative or the titer is below a level consistent with protetective immunity against HBV infection.  The specimen is reported as Non-Reactive (NR)
  • Reactive Specimen: a result of ≥ 10mIU/mL indicates that the sample is positive for anti-HBs.  This result is consistent with levels of anti-HBs at ≥ mIU/mL which indicates that anti-HBs has been detected at levels consistent with protective immunity against HBV infection.  The specimen is reported as Reactive (REAC).

Last Review Date

11/4/25

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL