Hepatitis B Surface Antibody Immunity (Quantitative)

This assay is used to determine immune status for Hepatitis B as ≥10 mIU/mL as per CDC Guidelines. Hepatitis B surface antibody quantitation is used to determine hepatitis B immune status, ie, to determine if the patient has developed immunity against the hepatitis B virus. Such immunity may develop following exposure to the hepatitis B virus or its vaccine.

Patients at higher risk of exposure to the virus include:

• Infants born to infected mothers
• Sex partners of infected persons
• People with more than 1 sex partner in the last 6 months
• People with a history of sexually transmitted infection
• Men who have sex with men
• Injection drug users
• Household contacts of an infected person
• Healthcare and safety workers who have contact with blood and body fluids
• People who have lived or traveled in an area in which hepatitis B is common
• People who live or work in a prison

Testing is not recommended routinely following vaccination. It is advised only for people whose subsequent clinical management depends on knowledge of their immune status. These people include:

• Chronic hemodialysis patients
• Immunocompromised people, including those with HIV infection, hematopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients, and people receiving chemotherapy
• Infants born to women who test positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen
• Sex partners of people who test positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen
• Healthcare and public safety workers who have contact with blood or body fluids