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Ask the Experts about Hepatitis and HIV Coinfection
HEP A AB TOTAL
Aug 8, 2008
What is A AB TOTAL?
Response from Dr. McGovern
Hepatitis A antibodies can be IgM or IgG.
When a patient may have acute hepatitis A, a doctor will order hepatitis A IgM antibodies to see if the patient has new infection.
If the doctor just wants to find out if the patient needs a vaccine to prevent hepatitis A, he or she can order a total Hepatitis A antibody panel which measures both IgM and IgG fractions of antibody.
If the total is positive then the patient does not need vaccination because they already had the infection in the past.
If the total is non reactive, then vaccination should be offered for a person at risk.
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