Clinical Information

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endenic throughout the world and is the major cause of liver disease. HBV is transmitted through the direct contact with blood and body fluids. Common modes of transmission include blood transfusion, needle puncture, direct contact with open wounds, sexual contact, and mother-neonate contact during birth. The average incubation for HBV infections is 6 to 8 weeks. Infections is usually asymptomatic. Common clincal symptoms include malaise, fever, gastroenteritis, and icterus. HBV infection can result in typical icteric hepatitis, subclinical anti-icteric hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis, or chronic hepatitis. Anti-HB core IgM titers increase rapidly, peak during the acute infection state of HBV infection, and then fall to a relatively low level as the patient recovers or becomes a chronic carrier. Anti-HBc IgM may be the only specific marker for the diagnosis of acute HBV infection.