Serology profile done for a patient is mentioned below. What is the likely cause of the abnormal findings:HbsAg-Non-reactiveHBV DNA-UndetectableHbeAg-Non-reactiveIgG Anti-HbC-Reactive
(A) Chronic hepatitis inactive state (B) Chronic hepatitis recovery state (C) Pre-core mutant infection (D) Window period
(B) Ans: B. Chronic hepatitis recovery stateFrom the given serology profile and table given below it is clear that the patient has had hepatitis B infection in the remote past or is a low-level Hepatitis B carrier.Commonly Encountered Serologic Patterns of Hepatitis B InfectionHBsAgAnti-HBsAnti-HBcHBeAgAnti-HBeInterpretation+-IgM+-Acute hepatitis B, high infectivity+-IgG+-Chronic hepatitis B, high infectivitydeg+-IgG-+Late acute or chronic hepatitis B, low infectivitydegHBeAg-negative ('precoremutant') hepatitis B (chronic or rarely acute)++++1-+1-HBsAg of one subtype and heterotypic anti-HBs (common)Process of seroconversion from HBsAg to anti-HBs (rare)--IgM+/-+/-Acute hepatitis BdegAnti-HBc `window'0--IgG-+/-Low-level hepatitis B carrierdegHepatitis B in remote pastdeg-+IgG-+/-Recovery from hepatitis Bdeg-+---Immunization with HBsAg (after vaccination)Hepatitis B in the remote past (?)False-positive