Clinical Summary

During recovery from acute hepatitis B, the hepatitis B e virus antigen (HBeAg) level declines and becomes undetectable and HBe antibody (anti-HBe) appears in the serum. Anti-HBe usually remains detectable for many years after recovery from acute hepatitis B.

In hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and in patients with chronic hepatitis B, positive anti-HBe results usually indicate inactivity of the virus and low infectivity of the patients. Positive anti-HBe results in the presence of detectable HBV DNA in serum indicate active viral replication.

CAUTIONS 
Serum specimens from individuals taking multivitamins containing biotin or biotin supplements at 20 mg or more per day may have false-positive hepatitis B e  antibody (anti-HBe) test results due to interference of biotin with the assay. Such individuals should stop taking these biotin-containing dietary supplements for a minimum of 12 hours before blood collection for this test.

Appearance of anti-HBe in serum does not completely rule-out chronic hepatitis B virus carrier state or infectivity.

Performance characteristics of this assay have not been established in patients younger than 2 years or in populations of immunocompromised or immunosuppressed patients. This assay is not licensed by US Food and Drug Administration for testing cord blood samples or screening donors of blood, plasma, human cell, or tissue products.

Performance characteristics have not been established for the following specimen characteristics:

-Grossly icteric (total bilirubin level of >66 mg/dL)

-Grossly lipemic (intralipid level of >2000 mg/dL)

-Grossly hemolyzed (hemoglobin level of >2000 mg/dL)