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Serology reagents intended to detect immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to hepatitis B virus core antigens. These antibodies typically appear in serum at the onset of disease, usually two or three months after exposure, and are commonly detected in high levels for five or more months. Hepatitis B viruses are DNA viruses of the genus Hepadnavirus, family Hepadnaviridae. These viruses may cause hepatitis, a disease characterized by jaundice and the increase of some enzymes in serum (e.g., aspartate aminotransferase); these viruses may be transmitted percutaneously (e.g., via body piercing, tattooing), parenterally, from mother to child at birth, or by intimate (e.g., sexual) contact.
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