Why do I need to take 2 serum samples from an individual who has been potentially exposed to B virus as a result of an injury?
A. Two samples are recommended because the first one represents antibodies you have at the time of an injury. In most sera there will be no evidence of B virus antibodies present at this time. The second sample is evaluated along with the first sample so that a comparison can be made between the two. The first sample is the baseline and the second is called a convalescent serum. If there is no difference between the two, your physician will tell you that you are not showing any signs of being infected. If there is a difference, but you are having no symptoms, your physician may discuss with you whether you wish to be treated, because the presence of antibodies in the second sample suggests that you were infected, probably at the time of the injury for which a baseline sample was collected. Some infected individuals already have antibodies, but the second sample will determine if there has been recent activity by the virus. A 2-4 fold increase alerts you to recent, acute virus replicati
