Hepatitis B - False Positive?

Question

My wife is 8 weeks pregnant, and we just found out that her blood work shows her positive for Hepatitis B. After looking at the ways to contract this disease, I am baffled. She (and I, for that matter) have never had any of the risk factors. We live pretty "boring" lives with no other previous sexual intercourse or any needle/drug use. Our jobs do not expose us to any of the risk factors either. Has anyone had any experience with "false positives" with these tests, especially with the routine blood tests completed at early pregnancy? Thanks for any help out there.

Answer 1

Never heard of false positives in anything ?

Answer 2

false

Answer 3

Worldwide, the most common way of getting a chronic hepatitis B infection is perinatally - at or shortly after the time of birth. In some areas it also spreads between young children through normal social contact.

While it's possible your wife's test result could be a false positive, I would suggest other family members get tested.

It is very important to your baby's health for your wife to know if has hepatitis B: these days most perinatal (mother to baby) transmission can be prevented with appropriate medical care.

Answer 4

I say try the test again somewhere else and see how it goes.

I feel really sorry for your wife and all I can say is good luck.

Answer 5

I have had a false positive for Mono.  I think false positives are pretty common.  Have her go take another test, and maybe go see a different physician for a test too just to see what comes up at that office.  With what you said it doesn't seem probable she would have Hep. B. Good luck and I hope everything turns out ok for you, your wife and the baby =]

Answer 6

The same thing happened to a close relative of mine. She was diagnosed as having Hep B after a having a blood test, but the whole family knew given the way Hep B can be spread that it just wasn't possible.

After having more blood tests the results came back negative, and after demanding an explanation she found out that the lab that analyzes the blood at the hospital had gotten the results mixed up with another patient.

We was all very happy, even though we knew that there had to be some mistake, but whats sad is that another patient would have been given the all clear, when in-fact they were Hep B positive.

I hope everything works out for you're family and I would strongly suggest getting more tests done.  

Answer 7

If she has recently had the Hep B vaccine series it can cause a false positive reading for about 4 weeks.