Interpretation of Your Hepatitis B Serology Results
What Your Results Mean
Your serologic pattern—reactive anti-HBs, non-reactive anti-HBc IgM, and reactive anti-HBs IgG—indicates immunity from hepatitis B vaccination, not from natural infection. 1, 2
Detailed Breakdown of Each Marker
Reactive anti-HBs (hepatitis B surface antibody): This is the protective antibody against hepatitis B virus. A positive result at ≥10 mIU/mL indicates you have immunity and are protected from HBV infection. 1, 2
Non-reactive anti-HBc IgM (hepatitis B core IgM antibody): This marker is negative, which rules out acute hepatitis B infection. IgM anti-HBc appears only during acute infection and typically becomes undetectable within 6 months. 1, 2
Reactive anti-HBs IgG: This appears to be referring to anti-HBs measured by IgG class antibody detection, which is the standard method for detecting protective immunity. 1
Critical Distinction: Vaccination vs. Natural Infection
The key to understanding your results is the absence of anti-HBc (total hepatitis B core antibody). 1, 2
Vaccine-induced immunity (your pattern): Anti-HBs positive + anti-HBc negative. This means you were vaccinated and responded successfully, but never had natural HBV infection. 1, 2
Natural immunity (different pattern): Anti-HBs positive + anti-HBc positive. This would indicate you recovered from a past HBV infection. 1, 2
What This Means for Your Protection
You are fully protected against hepatitis B infection. The presence of anti-HBs at protective levels (≥10 mIU/mL) provides immunity. 1, 3
No further testing or booster doses are needed if you are immunocompetent (not on dialysis, not HIV-positive, not on chemotherapy, and not otherwise immunosuppressed). 3
Your protection is lifelong. The CDC confirms that immunocompetent individuals who achieve protective anti-HBs levels after vaccination maintain protection for 30 years or more, likely for life, even if antibody levels later decline. 3
Special Circumstances Requiring Monitoring
You would need annual anti-HBs testing and booster doses only if you fall into these categories: 3
- Hemodialysis patients
- HIV-infected individuals
- Hematopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients
- Patients receiving chemotherapy
- Other immunocompromised conditions
Summary Table from CDC Guidelines
According to the CDC interpretation table, your pattern corresponds to: 1
| HBsAg | Anti-HBc | IgM anti-HBc | Anti-HBs | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative | Negative | Negative | Positive | Immune from vaccination (if ≥10 mIU/mL) |
Bottom line: You are immune to hepatitis B from vaccination, you have never been infected with the virus, and you are protected against future infection. 1, 2, 3