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Volume 41 Issue 10
Oct.  2025
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Article Navigation >  Journal of Clinical Hepatology  > 2025  >  41(10): 1994-1998

Unveiling the clinical impact of hepatitis B core antibody

DOI: 10.12449/JCH251006
  • 1.

    Digestive Disease Center，Beijing United Family Hospital，Beijing 100016，China

  • 2.

    Hepatitis B Foundation，Doylestown，PA 18901，USA

  • 3.

    Liver Research Center，Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Liver Cirrhosis，Beijing Friendship Hospital，Capital Medical University，Beijing 100050，China

More Information
  • Corresponding author: JIA Jidong， jia_jd@ccmu.edu.cn （ORCID： 0000-0002-4673-8890）
  • Received Date: 2025-07-21
  • Accepted Date: 2025-09-09
  • Published Date: 2025-10-25
    Abstract
  • Hepatitis B core antibody （anti-HBc） is an important marker of prior HBV exposure and potential viral persistence. During acute HBV infection， anti-HBc IgM is the earliest antibody to appear shortly after HBsAg， usually lasting for 6 — 12 months， followed by anti-HBc IgG. In patients with chronic infection experiencing acute hepatitis flares， anti-HBc IgM may reappear， though typically at lower titers than in acute infection. “Isolated anti-HBc positivity” may indicate resolved/functional cure of prior HBV infection or occult HBV infection， and there is still a risk of HBV reactivation or transmission during chemotherapy， immunotherapy， blood transfusion， or organ transplantation. Therefore， accurate recognition of the clinical significance of anti-HBc is essential for comprehensive evaluation and individualized management of HBV infection.

     

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