Re: Weird hepatitis B test results

Robert1 wrote:

> Most cases are anicteric and people don't realize they
> have it. . . .

Given the timeline of evolution of HBV testing which you described,
would it be conceivable that I could have been exposed to HBV as a
child or young adult, and it might not have been detected with the
tests used by US blood banks during the 1970's and early 1980's?

Would tests commonly available in the US in 1992 (when I had various
tests as part of an application for Canadian immigration) have been
likely to detect either distant or not-so-distant exposure to HBV --
assuming for the sake of discussion that those tests did include a
test for hepatitis B, which might or might not have been the case?

In short, assuming my known history is accurate as I described it
earlier, how likely is it that I might have been exposed to HBV a
long time ago, and it would never have been picked up on any tests
until my blood donation in 2001?

> Stay clear of hepatitis C as there is no vaccine for it
> and it's in epidemic proportions.

For what it may be worth, my doctor tested me for hepatitis C a
few years ago (in conjunction with the various hepatitis B tests
I described earlier), and I tested negative at that time.

Rich Wales richw@xxxxxxxxx http://www.richw.org
*DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. My comments are for discussion pur-
poses only and are not intended to be relied upon as medical advice.

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