[skibumwa]

I am in NZ now on my 30 month WTR visa. :nice1 Back in Seattle I actually had 2 blood draws for 2 complete blood tests over a 6 week time frame. Both times/tests my Hep B tests came back totally negative and I have not been sexually active (in a while :wah ) nor have I ever came into blood-blood contact with anyone.

I am now in Welly going through the process of filling out my ITA, etc. I had my blood tests today come back as positive Hep B. What gives?

Has anyone else had this happen to them?
Has anyone had 2 negative tests then out the blue get a positive result for Hep B?

I find it hard to believe that BOTH times in Seattle @ the UW Medical Center (one of the USA's best medical centers) that my results were false negative results. Comments are suggested and needed here before I lose my mind here.

Cheers....

[IanW99]

No expert on this, but this website seems to have some really good info:-FAQ for HEP-B (http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4090.pdf) (it's a PDF btw)

Apparently it is possible to get a false positive depending on what they are testing for.

Ian

[migratory birds]

Two possibilities:

1) What was testing "negative"? "Positive"? If it was "surface ANTIGEN NEGATIVE/surface ANTIBODY POSITIVE" you are NOT hep B positive but are coming up with this result because you are either immune from a previous exposure that you've recovered from or from the vaccination series. If you're "surface ANTIGEN POSITIVE/surface ANTIBODY NEGATIVE" it may be more concerning as you're either in the early infection stages and may clear it (90-95% of those infected as adults do clear the antigen and become antibody positive) or are beyond that, having not cleared it and are now a chronic carrier.

2) Hep B isn't just sexually transmitted or thru OBVIOUS blood-to-blood exposure. It's a long-lived virus that can survive up to 7 days on surfaces. A possible secenario might be a bit of blood on a surface somewhere (could be anywhere - a counter, a table, a baseball bat, an instrument at the dentist that wasn't properly cleaned, etc) then you come along with a small cut in your hand or a routine cleaning at the dentist...and it could be yours, too.

Find out what tested "negative" in Seattle and "positive" in Welly (surface antigen or surface antibody). If it is positive surface antigen in Welly and the same was negative Seattle, it may be that you're in the early stages of infection. Retesting, monitoring of liver enzymes and time will tell.

There's really no such thing as a "false positive" when it comes to hep B surface antigen (unless it was a lab error and all the labs I've seen over the years for patients will retest on the spot to confirm the initial positive). Sometimes people will look at the "positive surface ANTIBODY" and call it a "false positive" but it's erroneous to call it that because the antibody is only present in the face of having mounted a sufficient immune response to clear the virus or having rec'd the vaccination series.

Look at your labs - see what tested positive - retest if necessary - and follow it (and other labs) if it was antigen positive.

Excellent PDF forwarded by Ian in previous post - look at "Interpreting Hep B Lab Results" chart on the second page to help you decipher your labs.

[skibumwa]

My doctor here in Welly called me just now and told me that the in-depth secondary tests came back as, "FALSE POSITIVE".

Talk about a false scare! Geesh!

Thanks A LOT to everyone who gave me a comments.. it's very much appreciated.

To those who get tested positive: get a second test done. It just could save your sanity!!!

cheers...

-John

PS. This week I plan on getting immunized for all the Heps (A, B and C).. No more of this rollercoaster ride stuff for me!!!!

[IanW99]

You are having a lot of good news today, must feel even better after being down yesterday?

Event the weather was great :clap

Ian

[skibumwa]

Yes indeed... Being told you are Hep B positive is something that will ruin your... YEAR!

The weather's gonna be 18c & sunny tomorrow.. Bring on spring!!! :cheers


You are having a lot of good news today, must feel even better after being down yesterday?

Event the weather was great :clap

Ian

[Silverwing86]

Hi John,

Very pleased and relieved to hear that it did turn out to be a false positive as suspected, can imagine that news brightened up your day :clap ! Hopefully it'll be plain sailing from here on in, will keep fingers and toes crossed for you !

Good luck !

Silver