Re-evaluation of anti-HBc non-reactive serum samples from patients with persistent hepatitis B infection by immune precipitation with labelled HBV core antigen.

Background: Core antigen (HBcAg) is the most immunogenic component of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is believed to induce virtually always antibodies (anti-HBc) in immunocompetent infected persons. However, some chronically infected persons do not develop detectable anti-HBc.

Objective: A more sensitive assay for anti-HBc was to be developed and used to re-evaluate a cohort of chronically HBV infected persons without detectable anti-HBc.