Hepatitis B - positive for the HBCAB

  : : I was diagnosed with a postive lab of HBCAB.  I dont really understand what that test is.  All I do understand is that it was the core test.  So what exactly does that mean?  My liver enzymes were normal and the doctor said I really have nothing to worry about.  My husband is being tested next week, which i do agree is a good idea.  However, what if his test are negative?  I called our local blood institute and they said that his blood is still being accepted and they have not found anything in his blood.  So what does that mean?  I have so many concerns and question that I really dont know where to begin...
  : : I have asked the doctor to do a retest and a more in depth Hep B tests.  Was that the right thing to do?  And what about sex?  Do we need to have protected sex now, after 12 years of marriage?  I am so scared.  I will be having a liver ultrasound at the end of the month.  And they will also be looking at the stomach and gall bladder area.  I had my gall bladder out Nov 1997, and the surgeon thinks the mild pain could be due to adhesions.  
  : : I have tried to find information about Hep B for non infected or non-active people, and I have not been able to find anything.  Could you recommend a web site or an address that I can write to for more information?   Thank you Lynne
  : Dear Lynne,
  : You ask some very important questions about hepatitis B viral infection. Although it is a fairly common infection it is generally self-limited and in a majority of cases does not evolve into a chronic liver disease. Most patients present with a flu-like illness, joint pain, fever or jaundice but the infection can also be asymptomatic. That seems to be what happened to you. Hepatitis B can be transmitted at birth, via percutaneous blood exposure or sexually.
  : It is possible to determine what the status of hepatitis B infection is by performing a series of blood tests. The hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) indicates previous infection. In order to be absolutely sure that you aren