The only way to verify vaccination
If HBsAg indicates the presence of a virus in the body, then Anti-HBs, on the contrary, indicates protection against it. These antibodies appear after successful vaccination or after spontaneous recovery from acute hepatitis B. Levels above 10 mIU/ml are considered protective. Testing for Anti-HBs is the only way to be sure the vaccination has worked: about 5 to 10 percent of people do not mount an immune response and remain vulnerable without knowing it. The study is mandatory for medical workers, hemodialysis patients, people with immunodeficiency and family members of virus carriers. If the level of antibodies is insufficient, revaccination is carried out. The combination of Anti-HBs with Anti-HBcore makes it possible to distinguish post-vaccination immunity from post-infectious immunity.
How to prepare to donate blood
- on an empty stomach 8–12 hours, you can drink water
- Eliminate alcohol and intense exercise per day
- no smoking in an hour
- donate blood before physiotherapy, x-rays and massage
- Take medications in advance by agreeing with your doctor
How to read the result
Reference values depend on the method and equipment of the laboratory, so it is correct to compare results only within the same laboratory. A deviation of a few percent from the normal limit in itself rarely matters - the overall picture and dynamics are important.
The analysis must be interpreted by a doctor: an isolated indicator without a clinical context is often misleading and leads to unnecessary examinations.