Tested for HBV and wife pregnant. Please help

[concerned2022]

Hello,

Please kindly read my situation. I’m concerned as my wife is pregnant and I’m worried about the baby.

I’m 35 years old who grew up in South Asia. I never had any blood work or annul checkups done until recently. I did not even know my blood group. No sexual partners other than my wife. I don’t know how or when I might have got Hep B.

We came to know that my wife was pregnant in Oct 2021. No sex after she got pregnant. I went for blood donation drive at American Red Cross in Nov 2021 and got a letter with below test results:

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Test: Non-Reactive
Hepatitis B Core Antibodies Test: Reactive
HBc Final Interpretation: Reactive
HBV Discriminatory NAT: Reactive

I went to Primary Physician and test reports from that visit:

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen: Non-Reactive
Hepatitis B Core IGM: Non-Reactive
Hepatitis C Virus Antibody: Non-Reactive
Hepatitis A Antibody IGM: Non-Reactive

Doctor said that lab made a mistake in above tests and did wrong test(like Hep C & Hep A instead of Hep B tests). But he said it doesn’t matter as virus was found in my DNA(though very low) as per below results from another report. He has referred me to a GI. I have to see GI next.

HBV QNT by NAAT(IU/ml): <10 detected
HBV QNT by NAAT(log IU/ml): <1.00

My wife’s blood work from her Obgyn’s first prenatal visit tested Non-Reactive for HBsAg.

I’m confused to whether I have Hep B and if I can infect my wife?

Going forward, what tests/vaccinations should we follow for my wife through her pregnancy and for baby when born ?

[Lynn K]

We here are a community of patients and cannot offer medical advice or guidance. We are here to provide moral support and to share our own experiences.

The virus would not be in your DNA. The test you listed is a test for the DNA of the hepatitis B virus. It does appear to me as a non medical person that test does show as weakly positive for hepatitis B virus DNA.

For medical advice and recommendations follow the advice of your personal physician. Of course if you are not confident in the advice of your current doctor you may seek a second opinion. I’m assuming the doctor would prescribe the standard vaccination protocols for your baby.

Congrats on you soon to be born addition to your family.

Here is a link to the immunization schedule for children through adolescent per the US CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html

[Lynn K]

Here is a link to FAQ for the general public about hepatitis B from the US CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/bfaq.htm#bFAQc01

[Lynn K]

“ A result of "<10 IU/mL (<1.00 log IU/mL)" indicates that HBV DNA is detected, but the HBV DNA level present cannot be quantified accurately below this lower limit of quantification of this assay. When clinically indicated, follow-up testing with this assay is recommended in 1 to 2 months.”

https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/overview/65555#Clinical-and-Interpretive

[concerned2022]

Thank You Lynn for your response.