Persons recommended for hepatitis C testing. Universal hepatitis C screening: Hepatitis C screening at least once in a lifetime for all adults aged ≥18 years, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection (HCV RNA-positivity) is <0.1%

What is a positive hep C result?

A reactive or positive antibody test means you have been infected with the hepatitis C virus at some point in time. Once people have been infected, they will always have antibodies in their blood. This is true if they have cleared the virus, have been cured, or still have the virus in their blood.

What is the normal range of HCV?

Normal range for this assay is Not Detected. The quantitative range of this assay is 10 - 100,000,000 IU/mL (1.0 - 8.0 log IU/mL).

Is 0.9 positive for hep C?

Indeterminate: 0.8 - 0.9 Positive: > 0.9 The CDC recommends that a positive HCV antibody result be followed up with a HCV Nucleic Acid Amplification test (550713).

Will you always test positive for hep C?

► Once people have been infected, they will always have antibodies in their blood. This is true if they have cleared the virus, have been cured, or still have the virus in their blood. ► A reactive antibody test does not necessarily mean that you currently have hepatitis C and a follow-up test is needed.

Is Hep C is curable?

Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. Still, about half of people with HCV dont know theyre infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear.

How do you read Hep C results?

A positive result means that a person has the hepatitis C virus. A negative result means that the body has cleared the virus without treatment. The second test is the hep C RNA quantitative test. The result of this test is given as a number rather than a positive or negative.

How do you contract hep C virus?

The hepatitis C virus is usually spread when someone comes into contact with blood from an infected person. This can happen through: ►Sharing drug-injection equipment. Today, most people become infected with hepatitis C by sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs.

Can I spread hep C antibodies?

Can hepatitis C be spread within a household? Yes, but this does not occur very often. If hepatitis C virus is spread within a household, it is most likely a result of direct, through-the-skin exposure to the blood of an infected household member.

What happens when hep C is cured?

What Happens to Fibrosis After HCV Treatment? Heres an amazing fact: Once youre cured of Hepatitis C, liver damage stops. And over time (different for everyone, but possibly five years or more), your liver can heal itself through regeneration.

How long does it take Hep C to show up?

How soon after exposure to the hepatitis C virus can a test tell if someone is infected? After exposure to the hepatitis C virus, it can take 8–11 weeks for an HCV antibody test to be positive. For most people who are infected, the anti-HCV blood test will become positive by 6 months after exposure.