Acute hepatitis: significance of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen.

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Abstract
The value of testing for core antibody (anti HBc) in acute hepatitis was assessed in 503 patients. All hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive patients tested were also anti HBc positive. Of the 110 HBsAg negative, anti HBc positive patients, 32 had surface antibody, indicating previous infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Of the remaining 78 patients in whom anti HBc alone was detectable, follow-up specimens were received from 28 and, of these, 21 were anti HBc negative. Thus in acute hepatitis non-specific transient reactions to core antigen may appear, and the presence of anti HBc alone cannot be considered adequate evidence for a diagnosis of HBV infection.

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