Did I ever had HBV or HCV?

[Jonder4]

Hello, I had a single risk exposure 6 years ago. Last year (5 years after the only single exposure) I told my doctor to test for HBV, HCV.

He told me that "I don't have any of them", the results of the test were the following:

Anti-HBV core: NEGATIVE
IgM anti-HBV core: NEGATIVE

------------------------------------------

IgG anti-HCV: NEGATIVE

I don't know why, but they didn't test for HBsAg or IgM anti-HCV. I only have these results.

My only risk exposure happened 5 years before the tests. The question is:

Can I be sure with this data that I WAS NEVER IN CONTACT WITH HBV OR HCV? I mean, that I never had them.

I want to be sure that I was never in contact with them.

Thank you very much, I am sorry for my poor English.

P.D. I am not sure, but maybe I was vaccinated against HBV when I was very small, but I am not sure, I don't remember.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You could have asked this at the same time as your other question, without a new posting fee.  And you could have asked both questions of the doctor, clinic, or laboratory where you were tested.

Your doctor is correct.  These test results prove you have never been infected with either HBV or HCV.  They say nothing about whether you might have been "in contact" with either virus, but if you were in contact, you were not infected.

No other tests are necessary. IgM testing is intended only to look for the possibility of recently acquired infection; and HBsAg is only useful to judge whether an active HBV infection is present.  The other test that can check for past HBV infection is a test for surface antibody (HBsAb).  But it isn't necessary -- and it would be positive if you were vaccinated against HBV.  So there was no point in testing for it.

Please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on each of the professionally moderated forums (see Terms and Conditions).  The reason is to prevent domination of forums by a few users with anxiety-driven questions.  This will have to be your last one until next October.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You correctly understand.

Thanks for the thanks.  Best wishes.

[Jonder4]

Thank you very much for your answer, and sorry for my bad English.

So, if I understand well, the conclussion of both posts is:

- IgM anti-HCV (Hep C) is not needed if we have a IgG anti-HCV negative result.
- I have never been infected or had any of this: HBV, HCV or Syphilis.

Is this correct?

Thank you very much again. You are so useful for me, thank you for your knowledge.