My daughter was told she can no longer donate blood because they found positive antibodies to hep B core antigen. The Hep B surface antigen is negative. So we were informed that at one time or other my daughter had the Hep B virus (although we can't figure out where it came from). She did have a tattoo two years ago but the dates don't seem to jive and I was there at the time to make sure they used clean needles etc. So the source of this is a mystery. All that aside, she was vaccinated against HBV as a baby. Is it possible the vaccine didn't work? Should she see a doctor for a more complete liver panel? This is very confusing. Thank you. :confused:

I would see a doctor for more definative blood tests. My husband was diagnosed with hep b after having a hip replacement surgery. The hospital never admitted guilt, but this kind of thing has happened to others there also. This happened last summer, it took him 4 or 5 months to not to feel so darn tired all the time. But we noticed lately he is experiencing symptons again. Our doctor does not have anything that he can do for him, except for him to "rest" alot. And so it goes. We are hanging in. I hope you can find a doctor who can help you more.

Hi cookies,

I was vaccinated against hep A and recently found out I acquired NO immuinty to it, and will have to be re-vaccinated. So, the earlier vaccination to b may not have protected your daughter fully.

I am not a dr., but I believe that if the vaccine provided solid immunity there would be antibodies to the surface antigen still in her blood. Their absence allows a few different interpetations, according to the CDC web site, and the possiblity that daughter once had hep b is only one of them.
Re-testing is a good idea, since the result may be simply wrong. this does happen.
Did you also get a result for anti-Hbs (not hb sAG)? this affects the interpretation.

But, if her immunities were weak or not existent, and if it appears that indeed she may have been infected, the ways of getting these blood borne disease were numerous up until hiv scared everyone into safer practices. until the late 80's or even mid 90's, for just one example, not all dentists were following safe blood practices, and so on. So, the chances for infection were, at one time, widespread enough as to make it hard to pin down exactly. Hep b is a bit more contagious than c, although not rampantly so. Still, intimate contact of many types, not just intercourse, may be linked to hep b transmission---more likely there than with hep c. less so that with a--hep a being the most transmissable, b next, c last.

All in all, I'd get retested. My personal, entirely unprofessonal impression is that there are more confusing hep b results out there than any others. it's quick and cheap to test again, so why not?

hope this helps.

sean

Thanks for your input. Coincidentally, just today i brought her to an independent lab for the whole hepatitis panel on my doctor's advice. So we'll see what happens next. Thanks :wave: