Hepatitis B

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Hi everyone. I'm new here. I just got accepted into nursing school and supposed to be starting this fall. My school requires the Hepatitis B vaccine series and testing for titer. I went and got tested and it turns out I am Hep B positive (reactive). Does that mean I won't be allowed into Nursing school? I am located in California.

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Specializes in NICU.

A hepatitis B blood panel consists of three tests that can be done with one blood sample:

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG). A positive test indicates that you're infected with hepatitis B and that you can spread it to other people. Further tests are needed to see if you have an acute or chronic infection.

Hepatitis B core antibody (Anti-HBc or HBcAb). A positive result can indicate a past or current hepatitis B infection, but doesn't mean you're immune. A positive result needs to be interpreted by a doctor by examining the results of the other two tests.

Hepatitis B surface antibody (Anti-HBs or HBsAb). A positive test indicates that you're protected from hepatitis B either through previous infection or vaccination (although it's still possible to infect other people in some rare cases).

Have you had the Hep B vaccine series in childhood? Which one came up positive? If it is the Hep B surface antibody, "Positive"  means you are protected.

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NICU Guy said:

A hepatitis B blood panel consists of three tests that can be done with one blood sample:

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG). A positive test indicates that you're infected with hepatitis B and that you can spread it to other people. Further tests are needed to see if you have an acute or chronic infection.

Hepatitis B core antibody (Anti-HBc or HBcAb). A positive result can indicate a past or current hepatitis B infection, but doesn't mean you're immune. A positive result needs to be interpreted by a doctor by examining the results of the other two tests.

Hepatitis B surface antibody (Anti-HBs or HBsAb). A positive test indicates that you're protected from hepatitis B either through previous infection or vaccination (although it's still possible to infect other people in some rare cases).

Have you had the Hep B vaccine series in childhood? Which one came up positive? If it is the Hep B surface antibody, "Positive"  means you are protected.

Yes, I did have the Hep B vaccine series in childhood, about 20 years ago. I was tested for the Hepatitis B Core Ab and Hepatitis B Surface Antibody. The Hep B Core Ab came back as reactive and the Hep B Surface Antibody came back as non-reactive. 

I'm so stressed. Worried that now they will deny my entry into nursing school after working so hard to get accepted. ?

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