Hbc-ag

The hepatitis B virus was first described by Dane et al. in 1970 (Puchta 2006) and named the "Dane particle" after him (Mueller-Eckhardt 1996).

HBc- Ag is the nuclear antigen expressed on the surface of the nucleocapsid core in the context of hepatitis B disease (Kasper 2015).

The viral components of hepatitis B disease include:

- HBV DNA

- Proteins such as:

- Surface antigen (HBs- Ag)

- Envelope antigen (HBe- Ag) This corresponds to the secretory form of HBc- Ag.

- Core antigen (HBc- Ag and HBcr- antigen = HB- core- related- antigen)

The corresponding antibodies are anti- HBs, anti- HBc and anti- Habe (Herold 2022).

According to the RKI guide, anti-HBC and HBs AG were detected in 5.1% of the German population in 2016. Germany is therefore a country with a relatively low prevalence of hepatitis B.

With the exception of HBc- Ag, the viral components of hepatitis B can all be detected serologically or immunologically. HBc-Ag, however, can only be detected histologically in the liver cell nuclei (Herold 2022).

Anti- HBc, immunoglobulins directed against HBc- Ag, on the other hand, can be detected in serum in the first 1 - 2 weeks after the onset of hepatitis B (Kasper 2015).

1. Herold G et al. (2022) Internal Medicine. Herold Publisher 527
2. Kasper D L, Fauci A S, Hauser S L, Longo D L, Jameson J L, Loscalzo J et al. (2015) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Mc Graw Hill Education 2006 - 2007
3. Mueller- Eckhardt C (1996) Transfusion medicine: basics - therapy - methodology. Springer Verlag Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 551
4. Puchta I (2006) The hepatitis B virus in transfusion medicine. Inaugural dissertation for the doctorate of the University of Lübeck - From the Faculty of Medicine.
5. RKI- Guide (2016) Hepatitis B and D. DOI: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/EpidBull/Merkblaetter/Ratgeber_HepatitisB.html#Start