Clinical Significance

IgM calss antibodies against HBc are detected soon after infection and the presence of high concentrations of anti-HBc IgM has been shown to be an indicative marker of acute infection.  The level of anti-HBc IgM decreases throughout the course of infection. However, low levels of anti-HBc IgM may persist for over a year after infection in some patients and are found occasionally in chronic carriers. The VITROS Anti-HBc IgM test is designed to detect anti-HBc IgM at an appropriate level of sensitivity as an aid for the diagnosis of acute or chronic hepatitis B infection. The detection of anti-HBc IgM can be useful for the differential diagnosis of hepatitis B from other forms of viral hepatitis.

_{Source: Vitros ECiQ, HBc M IFU. Pub. No. GEM0216 Version 13.0}