Hepatitis A Total Antibody

This test checks whether your body has developed protection against hepatitis A, either from past infection or vaccination.

📋 About This Biomarker

The Hepatitis A Total Antibody test looks for signs that your body has responded to the hepatitis A virus (HAV) in the past. It detects both IgG and IgM antibodies - IgM shows up early during a new infection, while IgG stays in the body long-term and offers protection. If you’ve ever had hepatitis A, or been vaccinated against it, your immune system will have created these antibodies as a kind of "memory" so it knows how to fight off the virus in the future. This test doesn’t measure whether you’re currently sick - it tells you if you’ve ever been exposed or vaccinated. It's like a stamp in your immune system's passport showing it's seen this virus before.

🎯 Why We Test This

Testing helps determine if you’re immune to hepatitis A - a virus that spreads through contaminated food, water, or close contact. It’s especially useful if you're travelling, working in food service or healthcare, or have liver issues that could be worsened by the infection. Knowing your immunity status can guide whether vaccination is needed for protection.

⚠️ What Affects It

Whether you’ve had hepatitis A in the past or been vaccinated will affect this marker. Age, the strength of your immune system, and the time since exposure or vaccination can all influence antibody levels. Rarely, false positives or negatives can occur due to test limitations or other infections. Immunosuppressive medications may also reduce the body's ability to make or maintain antibodies.

📈 How to Improve

If your antibody levels are high, that’s a good thing - it means you’re immune and no action is needed. If results are close to positive or borderline, follow-up testing or a booster vaccine may be considered. If your result is low or negative, you’re not protected - so vaccination is recommended, especially if you’re at risk or travelling. Once vaccinated, your body should produce protective antibodies within a few weeks.

📊 Understanding Your Results

Low
A clearly negative result indicates no immunity - meaning you are at risk if exposed to hepatitis A. If you're planning to travel, work in childcare or healthcare, or have other risk factors, vaccination may be recommended to protect you.
Optimal
A negative or “non-reactive” result means that there are no detectable antibodies to hepatitis A. This suggests you haven’t had hepatitis A and haven’t been vaccinated, or it’s too soon after exposure for antibodies to have developed. You would be considered not immune to hepatitis A. A clearly negative result indicates no immunity - meaning you are at risk if exposed to hepatitis A. If you're planning to travel, work in childcare or healthcare, or have other risk factors, vaccination may be recommended to protect you.
High
A positive or “reactive” result indicates that you have antibodies to hepatitis A - either from a past infection or from being vaccinated. It means your body has “seen” the virus and knows how to fight it off. You're likely protected against getting hepatitis A again. However, this result does not mean you currently have the illness.
Also known as: HepA TotalAb