Hep B vaccine

i got my titers drawn for my hep b vaccine and it says 20 with H near it. and also says 10 and above means positive for immunity but is the 20 H bad i mean why does it say high tho i hope not to high is this bad i havent talk to dr yet just looked at results. i do not need a booster i guess i heard some need a booster and i got this vaccine about 6 years ago so i guess its still strong ahh?

[cajim]

Hard to understand what you are referring to.

[winterskii]

what dont you understand in my question? i want to know if the 20H for antibodies is bad even tho it says (HIGH) and it said. 10 and above mean pos for immunity

i had hep b 3 series 6 yrs ago!

and why doesn't it say antibodies are from vaccine and not actual virus?

i hope you understand all my questions now so you can help me thanks.

[cajim]

Yes, if you are positive for HBsAb then you are immune to HBV.

[winterskii]

Please anyone but cajim answer my question, he has not answered or understood what i was asking! it is perfectly clear what i asked!!!
thank you

[winterskii]

i would also like to add in it says (HBs Ab) is 20 H and results 10 and greater are positive for immunity. yes i did get the hep b vaccine!  what does HBs AB mean, does that mean vaccine? also is 20 too high and mean its bad! or should it be high to be immunized

[stevenNYer]

Cajim answered your question correctly.

According to what your wrote, HBsAb above 10 indicates immunity to HepB.  Yours is 20 which is higher than 10.  So your lab noted it as "20 H".  It mean you responded to the vaccine by developing the antibodies.  So the higher the better for HBsAb.  It's a good thing.

[winterskii]

I guess i was wondering, how you can tell the (antibodies) is from the vaccine and NOT the actual virus! again does Hbs Ab mean (vaccine)

how can one tell if their antibodies is from the virus * not the vaccine i wanted to learn this to

thank you for the learning have a nice night

[stevenNYer]

You don't get the HBsAb (antibody) from the virus.  You may get it from your immune system.  These are natural clearance.  In these cases, your Core Antibody (HBcAb) should be positive as well.

Or you developed HBsAb from the vaccine, then your HBcAb is negative.

You're welcome, good night.

[winterskii]

i know you develop antibodies from your immune system! BUT how can i tell on my lab work i developed them from the vaccine and NOT virus

[stevenNYer]

Re-read my previous post of the Core Antibody (HBcAb).  There is no other way to explain it.

You have to understand what these markers are:

HBsAg (surface antigen..positive is not good)
HBsAb (surface antibody...positive is good)
HbcAb (core antibody...neutral)

[winterskii]

i think i figured it out! you said antibodies can not be from a virus? but i thought that is where you develop antibodies.
so i guess you are saying HBsAg  means its virus? and HBs Ab means from my vaccine. that is all you had to say, something about this i can not get a clear answer that i want and i asked it very clear.
but thank you

[winterskii]

let me try to make my question very simple,
would i get these results if i was positive for hep b virus!
some of these answers keep you guessing and guessing and i only want a clear answer so i can stop asking, i think ill go to lab tomorrow or contact dr if i dont understand next post

[stevenNYer]

There are many manifestation of HepB.  I tried to explain it to you in the simplest terms.  Lab markers are pretty concrete and if you understand it, there's no guessing.  Answering your "simple" question will only confuse you more at this point.  I think you are okay, but talk to your doctor in person to have your doctor explain things to you.  For many, it's just a hard concept to grasp.

Or get your lab markers and go to out Health Page:

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Hepatitis/HepB-Introduction--Welcome-Page/show/34?cid=153

There's a chart under Lab Basics.  Match up your labs with the chart,  It really doesn't get simplier than that.  It has all the markers I wrote about, HBsAg, HBsAb, HBcAb, and more.

[winterskii]

thank you steve but i found this website that answered everything i needed to know and i am no longer curious. i now know this is from vaccine and if i show up ABs Ab that means No infection now! and im protected from future exposure and thats what i needed to know. im in the clearer.

below is what i found and it may help others

The hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) is the most common test. Its presence indicates previous exposure to HBV, but the virus is no longer present and the person cannot pass on the virus to others. The antibody also protects the body from future HBV infection. In addition to exposure to HBV, the antibodies can also be acquired from successful vaccination. This test is done following the completion of vaccination against the disease or following an active infection.

[winterskii]

hi steve again hehe..

i forgot to add that my lab results Only talk about HBsAb, it doe not have anything on HBsAg or HBcAb im assumming that is a good thing after i read up on HBsAb which explains no infection
thanks for that website it is also good and ill keep it for my future references and pass it on to people who want help

[stevenNYer]

You are very likely immune to HepB but you should confirm that your HBsAg is negative.  Some people have HepB test positive for both the HBsAb and HBsAg.  I did mentioned that there are many manifestation of the HBV right.

[bberry]

oh my God this one draggggggggggeeeeedddddddd

WINTERSKII

both Steve and Cajim are correct.
you are safe. clear . immuned  and responded well to the vaccine since mean number is 10 and wow you got 20 so you are twice as medically needed.

now your questions that you asked like 343535 times is what HbsAb mean
H: Hepatitis
B: B
S: surface
A: Anti
B : body
so you are positive for Hepatitis B Surface AntiBodies

regards

[winterskii]

thanks bberry for the input hehee,

steve, i checked with my doctor and he only ordered HbsAb because I was vaccinated many yrs ago and he did not order HBcAb and HBsAg, also, he assured me the HSsAB is postive due to the vaccine. he said when peeps get vaccinated all they order is the HBsAb tests (usually
ps i would of known if i had ever gotton a hepb infection and i would have been very sick and would of needed treatment.
and the chart you provided says no such thing as a person being infected would even be positive for HBsAb and HBsAg. as you mentioned some people are pos for both above.
thanks all for the help

[stevenNYer]

As mentioned before, you are likely fine.  
However, I would like to add a comment for others reading this.  To be sure that you don't have HepB and are immune, you need both the HBsAg to be negative and HBsAb to be positive.  

Am I'm sure?   Absolutely.  I tested positive for HBsAb many times.  All assumed I was immuned.  After many years, only one of my doctors was smart enough to test me for HBsAg.  Guess what?  Yupe, it's positive.  I have chronic HepB and didn't know about it for many years.  If I knew what I know now, I would have found out years ago and perhaps had an even more opportunities to take care of my dear liver.

[cajim]

Fascinating!  Were your positive tests for HBsAB quantitative?  Could it be your immune system was having a good fight against HBV and did have the upper hands several times?

[stevenNYer]

Nope, MD gave some explanations including that THAT antibody was for a perhaps a different genotype strain.  It's the wrong key for the lock.

[cajim]

When I read the lab results from China, it is not uncommon to read HBsAg values to decrease while HBsAB values increase until the result was labeled "mild positive" then "positive".  I wonder if it could be the case with you too.  Are quantitative HBsAg and HBsAB tests commercially available in USA?