The underlying mechanisms for the 'anti-HBc alone' serological profile.
The serological pattern, "anti-HBc alone", characterized by the presence of antibodies against the core antigen of hepatitis B virus (anti-HBc) as the only marker of hepatitis B, is not rare in a diagnostic setting. Depending on the prevalence of HBV infection and the patient group investigated, 1-31% of positive anti-HBc results are isolated positive findings. Anti-HBc alone is frequently observed in intravenous drug addicts, HIV-infected individuals, patients who are coinfected with HBV and hepatitis C virus, and pregnant women. However, it is not clear how this profile should be interpreted. Several studies have shown that anti-HBc alone is not only compatible with acute and resolved HBV infection but also with chronic infection. The reasons for the lack of HBsAg and anti-HBs in anti-HBc-alone individuals are not clear, but several mechanisms and possibilities have been suggested that could explain this phenomenon, some of which are delineated in this article.
Pondé
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Laboratório de Virologia Humana, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia-Goiás, Brazil. roberioponde@uol.com.br
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Ferro
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D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens