Hepatitis B, chronic 2024 Case Definition

NOTE: A surveillance case definition is a set of uniform criteria used to define a disease for public health surveillance. Surveillance case definitions enable public health officials to classify and count cases consistently across reporting jurisdictions. Surveillance case definitions are not intended to be used by healthcare providers for making a clinical diagnosis or determining how to meet an individual patient’s health needs.

Subtype(s)

Hepatitis B, acute
Hepatitis B, acute and chronic

Laboratory Criteria

Confirmatory Laboratory Evidence:

Detection of HBsAg† in two clinical specimens taken ≥ 6 months apart, OR
Detection of HBeAg in two clinical specimens taken ≥ 6 months apart, OR
Detection of [HBsAg† OR HBeAg] AND total anti-HBc, OR
Detection of HBsAg† AND HBeAg, OR
Detection of HBV DNA.††

Presumptive Laboratory Evidence:

Detection of [HBsAg† OR HBeAg] AND IgM anti-HBc test negative, not done, or result not available.

Note: The categorical labels used here to stratify laboratory evidence are intended to support the standardization of case classifications for public health surveillance. The categorical labels should not be used to interpret the utility or validity of any laboratory test methodology.
† If information on HBsAg test method is available and HBsAg confirmatory neutralization was performed as recommended, HBsAg positive by confirmatory neutralization.
†† DNA detection by nucleic acid test, including qualitative, quantitative, or genotype testing.

Case Classification

Probable

Meets presumptive laboratory evidence of chronic HBV infection.

Confirmed

Meets confirmatory laboratory evidence of chronic HBV infection.

Related Case Definition(s)

Hepatitis B, acute and chronic | 2024 Case Definition

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Last Reviewed: February 28, 2024

Source: Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology