title: Diagnostic usefulness of testing for anti-HBc IgM in acute hepatitis B.
abstract: Numerous tests to detect anti-HBc IgM have been developed and shown to have different degrees of sensitivity and specificity. One of these assays, Corzyme-M (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill.), recently became commercially available. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical utility of this anti-HBc IgM test in establishing the diagnosis of acute hepatitis B using sera from a group of 42 prospectively followed individuals who had been exposed to hepatitis B virus. The Corzyme-M test was highly sensitive in detecting recent hepatitis B virus infection. All 30 patients with symptomatic and 12 with asymptomatic acute hepatitis B virus infection developed anti-HBc IgM. However, the timing of sample testing relative to onset of symptoms in symptomatic patients was important, inasmuch as 2 of 23 patients were negative for anti-HBc IgM early in the symptomatic period, although all were HBsAg positive. The duration of anti-HBc IgM positivity after acute infection was variable, ranging from 2 to 134 weeks. In 14% of patients, anti-HBc IgM remained detectable for more than 1 year. From the data, recommendations are given regarding the usefulness of anti-HBc IgM testing in the diagnosis of acute hepatitis B virus infection.
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000208:Acute Disease; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D007075:Immunoglobulin M