Hi, can we please get help interpreting these lab results? The status as an inactive Hepatitis B carrier is already known. But would like to know if there is anything significant or noteworthy from the results, especially pertaining to the Hep B results. However, there were a few other results that were off and would like insight into (such as white blood count, anion gap, neutrophil, monocyte, Basophil, Absolute Neutrophils & Absolute Monocytes). Do these ranges being off have anything to do with the status as a hep b carrier?
As a tldr version, if you don’t want to go through all the lab results, here’s a rundown of the HepB readings:
Hepatitis B Core AG IgM: non-reactive
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen II: Reactive (High)
Hepatitis B Core Total: Reactive (High)
And here’s a rundown of the readings that were off. Are these off due to the Hep B?
Anion Gap: 11 (Range says 3-10)
White Blood Cell Count 10: Low2.8 (Range says 3.5-10.5)
Hi, would any @HealthExperts be able to provide insight? Wondering if the words “High” by the reactive Hep results should be a cause for concern? My partner told me about this forum and how she came here for advise. Of course we’ll visit a doctor together but we’re long distance so that will take some time, but I’m hoping to help ease her mind about my results sooner rather than later. Are there any causes for concerns regarding any of my readings? Does my inactive carrier status still hold? I don’t have a viral load reading on my results but will be testing for that soon. @HealthExperts
Last edit: I also have liver scans from August of 2023 I can share (nothing remarkable on my liver, it looked healthy!) plus some lab results from 2015-2016 I can share in case that helps provide insight. I unfortunately don’t have easy access to the years after that, I’d have to dig - I was in the Air Force during that time period and they would do all our testing so I’m not sure how easy getting those results would be but I can try if it helps
Hi @Anon2023,
Here is the interpretation of the results.
For the hep B core Ag igM: Non reactive or negative means there is no evidence of recent infection/acute case.
HBsAg: Positive means this person has the virus, which you confirmed is known. The quantitative number being high is common even among patients on treatment. But if this is something new, please discuss further with your provider and how it specifically affects your case. For it could be nothing or could be something that needs further investigation. For example, I have been on treatment since 2015, but my quantitative numbers have remained high and my doctor does not think it is a concern, only that I cannot stop treatment. Each person and case is different.
Hepatitis B Core Ab total or anti-HBc positive indicates an ongoing or previous infection. In this case it shows an inactive ongoing infection since we are talking about a chronic case.
That is the interpretations, it is good to talk or discuss it further with your provider since each case or person is different. Best, Bansah1.
Thanks friend. Based on the mix of my results, I’m able to pass the infection to others, correct? Also, do my mix of results indicate active or inactive status? I’m under the impression that I’m inactive. BUT, I read online that the envelope reading is what indicates active or inactive status and I noticed I don’t have a 2023 envelope reading. But my 2016 results that I just pulled up show an envelope reading (which indicated inactive status but maybe things have changed since then)
HBsAg: Positive means this person has the virus, which you confirmed is known. The quantitative number being high is common even among patients on treatment. But if this is something new, please discuss further with your provider and how it specifically affects your case. For it could be nothing or could be something that needs further investigation. For example, I have been on treatment since 2015, but my quantitative numbers have remained high and my doctor does not think it is a concern, only that I cannot stop treatment. Each person and case is different.
So, as I look through previous bloodwork - I’ve never seen the word “High” after my reactive results. But, perhaps this lab just includes it whereas others have not. I’ll have to verify with my doctor what that means. Also, I actually don’t see any quantitative numbers anywhere about my Hep B status, just that I’m reactive.
I’m currently not on any treatment or medications, so we’ll see if this is anything serious. I’ll talk to my doc
It’s hard to say not knowing what your viral load is. The higher the viral load the more likely someone with HBsAg positive is to pass the virus on. The lower the viral load the less likely that happens. But we don’t know whether that is the case here.
They use the quantitative test to measure how much surface antigen is in your serum. If this test showing high is new then it could be suggesting that something is going on with your status, but please talk to your provider to get a real or clear picture on this. Write down some of these questions and bring them to your visit, then address them with your provider.
Thanks for the details- I didn’t realize that the quantitative test would also be something separate. So seems I’ll need to get my viral load and quantiatitive tests done. To be honest, I’ve never heard of the quantitative test before so this is new to me
I also thought maybe “high” were written by my reactive results bc this indicated that this was simply why I was reactive, bc I had these measures in my body whereas the normal person doesn’t. But that could be me just being hopeful that it is not anything more serious lol. And, do you happen to have the knowledge to provide insight into my other values that are off that I listed above in my original post, such as my white blood count, monocytes, etc.
Usually HBV (particularly with a normal ALT) doesn’t affect the WBC composition that much. There may be something else unrelated that is causing these low or high levels. It may be worth checking again over time to see if this is a continued pattern and then try to figure out the source of it with your doctor.
Sure, it’s great to talk to your provider about some of these numbers. The test shows that your white blood cell count is low 2.8, this can be a sign of weak immune system especially if this results remain the same overtime. I also read that some medications can cause this as well. Have you started taking any new medication recently? If not, make an appointment to see your provider and investigate further.
Your glucose was a little high 102. The normal fasting glucose range is between 70 and 100. If you were fasting, then keep an eye on this. If you had eating prior to doing the labs then don’t sweat it.
I hope you are seeing your provider soon to investigate some of these issues further. I hope too that you get some needed answers. Keep us posted and we will always be here if you need our support.
Best, Bansah1.
Hey there @ThomasTu interesting, thanks. TBH I always assumed it was bc of my carrier status. But actually, now that you mention it - this is a common theme for me. When I was in the air force one doc was always concerned about my low levels and he transferred me to another doc who said this was just because of all the working out I did, I’m an avid runner/biker and from what he said, WBC will be low due to certain exercises.
However, I always thought my carrier status also played a role but now that you mention it doesn’t, I feel like working out likely is not the only cause for my WBC count and I’m a tad concerned. Will certainly take this to my doctor.
In the interim, do you happen to know if there’s anything that may not affect most carrier but, as a result of being a Hep B carrier, I could potentially have that would cause me to have a low WBC count?
Thanks! I will certainly be speaking to my doc further, appreciate your feedback friend, and I’ll certain keep you posted. My old blood results I have access to show normal WBC counts, but, I was telling Thomas that when I was in the Air Force a couple years ago, one doc was concerned that I’d have WBC counts but another told me it was bc of the exercises I did. Idk though, will certainly investigate w/ my doctor. Greatly appreciate you and everyone else here providing support, answers, and insight until I get a chance to talk to my provider.
You are always welcome. I won’t bother about one off abnormal results which is expected to happen at times. But if it becomes something that keeps happening over a stretch of time, then that should be looked into further with your provider.
Fingers crossed, let’s hope all goes well when you see your provider next. Best, Bansah1.
Hi, thanks for the insight here. I’ll have to talk to my doctor about that next time I visit, hopefully sometime in January. They’ve historically been low, so hopefully nothing troubling. I also read that people from my ethnic background tend to have low WBC in general so perhaps that plays a role too, we’ll see.
That said, aside from the WBC, do you happen to know if any of my other ranges from my blood results that are off (below) indicate anything to be worried about as it pertains to my Hepatitis B status? Or does my Hep B status not play a role in the other values that are off? I did a quick search and it seems all the other levels that are off might be related to the the fact that I have a low WBC and not my Hep B status, but I’m not sure:
Hep B readings below (for some reason I don’t have a Hepatitis Be Antigen reading on my most recent test from this year, in 2016 it was negative, but I would like to get that reading redone as well just in case there has been a change)
Hepatitis B Core AG IgM: non-reactive
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen II: Reactive (High)
Hepatitis B Core Total: Reactive (High)
Ranges that were off from my bloodwork:
Anion Gap: 11 (Range says 3-10)
White Blood Cell Count 10: Low2.8 (Range says 3.5-10.5)
Hi @Anon2023, good luck on your chat with your doctor next month, they are in the best place to answer your questions given your long clinical history of low WBC levels.
