A nurse develops clinical symptoms consistent with hepatitis. She recalls sticking herself with a needle approximately 4 months before after drawing blood from a patient. Serologic tests for HBsAg, antibodies to HBsAg, and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are all negative; however, she is positive for IgM core antibody. The nurse
In a small number of patients with acute hepatitis B infection, HBsAg can never be detected. In others, HBsAg becomes negative before the onset of the disease or before the end of the clinical illness. In such patients with acute hepatitis, hepatitis B virus infection may only be established by the presence of antihepatitis B core IgM (anti-HBc IgM), a rising titer of anti-HBc, or the subsequent appearance of anti-HBsAg Reference: Ananthanarayan and Paniker&;s Textbook of Microbiology Tenth edition
Does not have hepatitis B
Has hepatitis A
Is in the late stages of hepatitis B infection
Is in the "window" (after the disappearance of HBsAg and before the appearance of anti-HBsAg)
Virology