new hep b core antibody positive, no risk factors

[bostonk]

Hello, I am hoping to get some insight on recent test results.  I am a healthy 35 year old woman who underwent fertility treatment in the past couple of years.  In 2010, my hepatitis B core antibody was negative, and my hep B surface antibody was positive (and surface antigen negative).  This made sense, as I had received hepatitis vaccines as a child.  

However, a new fertility clinic just rechecked my hep B labs, and told me the following:

Hep B surface antigen = non-reactive
**Hep B core AB total = REACTIVE
Hep BE antigen = non reactive
Hep B core antibody (IGM) = non reactive
Hep B surface antibody (quant) = 583

This is alarming to me, since I have no risk factors for developing a positive Hep B core antibody.  My doctor thinks it's a false positive, but a repeat test showed the same result.  My husband went and got tested but his hep B core was negative.  

Does this mean that somehow I was exposed to Hep B through my fertility treatments??  Or could it still be a false positive?

Thanks in advance,
Karen

[bostonk]

Hi, thank you for your response.  A test prior to 2010 also showed a negative Hep B core antibody, so I don't think the test in 2010 was false.  My doctor mentioned something about cross-reactive antibodies and false positive.  Could this be the case for the reactive Hep B core antibody?

[Rome70]

I can think of two versions
1) you had false test in 2010
2) your antibody level was too low and you somehow got acute hbv which you now successfully recovered from.