Diagnostic significance of anti‐HBc IgM (RIA) in healthy HBsAg carriers and in chronic hepatitis B

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Abstract
The diagnostic significance of IgM antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc) in healthy hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and in subjects affected by chronic hepatitis B was evaluated. IgM anti‐HBc was sought and found in all nine patients examined who were affected by acute HBsAg‐positive hepatitis. It was also detected in 2 out of 18 patients with HBsAg‐positive chronic persistent hepatitis and in 12 out of 42 patients affected by HBsAg‐positive chronic active hepatitis. The absence of this marker was noted in all 26 HBsAg healthy carriers and in the subjects with HBsAg‐positive cirrhosis.No relationship was found between the presence of IgM anti‐HBc and the degree of inflammatory activity in the patients with HBsAg‐positive chronic active hepatitis. A correlation was not found between the presence of IgM anti‐HBc and the presence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in the same patients.These data show that the absence of IgM anti‐HBc may be useful in identifying healthy carriers of HBsAg. The presence of this antibody may be a suitable indication of acute HBsAg‐positive hepatitis.In patients with chronic active hepatitis B the presence of IgM anti‐HBc cannot be used as diagnostic tool in predicting the severity of liver disease.