Hepatitis C Testing

Also Known As

Hepatitis C Antibody

Anti-HCV

HCV-PCR

HCV-RNA

Hepatitis C Viral Load

Formal Name

Viral Hepatitis C Antibody Screen; Viral Hepatitis C RNA by PCR; Hepatitis C Virus Genotype

This article was last reviewed on

October 6, 2016.

This article waslast modified on

May 27, 2018.

At a Glance

Why Get Tested?

To screen for and diagnose a hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to monitor treatment of the infection

To learn more about hepatitis C, read the article on Viral Hepatitis.

When To Get Tested?

For screening: when you have risk factors for HCV infection or were born between 1945 and 1965, per 2012 CDC recommendations

For diagnosis: when you may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus, such as through contact with infected blood, or have symptoms associated with liver disease

Sample Required?

A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm

Test Preparation Needed?

None

You may be able to find your test results on your laboratory's website or patient portal. However, you are currently at Lab Tests Online. You may have been directed here by your lab's website in order to provide you with background information about the test(s) you had performed. You will need to return to your lab's website or portal, or contact your healthcare practitioner in order to obtain your test results.

Lab Tests Online is an award-winning patient education website offering information on laboratory tests. The content on the site, which has been reviewed by laboratory scientists and other medical professionals, provides general explanations of what results might mean for each test listed on the site, such as what a high or low value might suggest to your healthcare practitioner about your health or medical condition.

The reference ranges for your tests can be found on your laboratory report. They are typically found to the right of your results.

If you do not have your lab report, consult your healthcare provider or the laboratory that performed the test(s) to obtain the reference range.

Laboratory test results are not meaningful by themselves. Their meaning comes from comparison to reference ranges. Reference ranges are the values expected for a healthy person. They are sometimes called "normal" values. By comparing your test results with reference values, you and your healthcare provider can see if any of your test results fall outside the range of expected values. Values that are outside expected ranges can provide clues to help identify possible conditions or diseases.

While accuracy of laboratory testing has significantly evolved over the past few decades, some lab-to-lab variability can occur due to differences in testing equipment, chemical reagents, and techniques. This is a reason why so few reference ranges are provided on this site. It is important to know that you must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

For more information, please read the article Reference Ranges and What They Mean.

What is being tested?

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that causes an infection of the liver that is characterized by liver inflammation and damage. Hepatitis C tests are a group of tests that are performed to detect, diagnose, and monitor the treatment of a hepatitis C viral infection. The most common test for HCV looks for antibodies in the blood that are produced in response to an HCV infection. Other tests detect the presence of viral RNA, the amount of viral RNA present, or determine the specific subtype of the virus.

Hepatitis C is one of five hepatitis viruses identified so far, including A, B, D, and E, that are known to cause the disease. HCV is spread by exposure to contaminated blood, primarily though the sharing of needles by intravenous drug users, but also by sharing personal items contaminated by blood such as razors, through sex with an infected person, via healthcare occupational exposure, and, less commonly, from mother to baby during childbirth. Before tests for HCV became available in the 1990s, HCV was often transmitted by blood transfusions.

While HCV is not as contagious as hepatitis B, there is currently no vaccine to prevent infection. Hepatitis C infection is a common cause of chronic liver disease in North America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there were approximately 30,500 cases of acute hepatitis C in the U.S. in 2014 and that there are 2.7 to 3.9 million people in the U.S. living with chronic hepatitis C.

Many of those who are infected have no symptoms and are not aware of the condition. The acute HCV infection may cause few to mild nonspecific symptoms, and the chronic infection may simmer quietly for a decade or two before causing sufficient liver damage to affect liver function.

Hepatitis C infections cause increased risk of developing some other serious conditions:

About 75-85% will develop chronic HCV infection.
About 5-20% will develop cirrhosis over 20 years; recent projections suggest that almost 45% will eventually develop cirrhosis.
HCV causes death in about 1-5% of those chronically infected who develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Hepatitis C antibody tests are used to screen individuals for the infection, including, for example, people with no signs or symptoms but with risk factors, people who have symptoms associated with hepatitis or liver disease, or those who have been exposed to the virus.

Since the antibody test can remain positive in most people even if they have cleared the infection, a positive antibody test is followed by a hepatitis C RNA test, which detects genetic material of the virus. A positive result on the RNA test means the virus is present, the infection has not resolved, and the person may require treatment. The hepatitis C genotype test determines which strain of virus is present to help guide treatment.

Healthcare practitioners may also order a liver panel, which is a group of tests that help assess the health of the liver.

How is the sample collected for testing?

A blood sample is drawn by needle from a vein in the arm.

Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?

No test preparation is needed.

Common Questions

How is it used?
Hepatitis C tests are used to screen for and diagnose a hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, to guide therapy and/or to monitor the treatment of an HCV infection.

An HCV antibody test is used to screen for past exposure and current infection. It detects the presence of antibodies to the virus, indicating exposure to HCV. This test cannot distinguish whether someone has an active or a previous HCV infection. There is some evidence that if the test is "weakly positive," it may be a false positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all positive antibody tests be followed by an HCV RNA test that detects viral RNA in the blood to determine whether or not the person has an active infection.

The HCV antibody test may be performed as part of an acute viral hepatitis panel to determine which of the most common hepatitis viruses is causing a person's symptoms.

The following tests may be used to diagnose a current infection and to guide and monitor treatment:

HCV RNA tests:
HCV RNA test, Quantitative (HCV viral load) detects and measures the number of viral RNA particles in the blood. This test may be used to confirm the presence of the virus and diagnose an active infection. Viral load tests are also used before and during treatment to help determine response to therapy by comparing the amount of virus before and during treatment.

HCV RNA, Qualitative is used to distinguish between a current or past infection. It is reported as a "positive" or "detected" if any HCV viral RNA is found; otherwise, the report will be "negative" or "not detected." This test is not frequently used any more.

Viral genotyping is used to determine the kind, or genotype, of the HCV present to help guide treatment. There are 5 major types of HCV and more than 50 subtypes identified; the most common, genotype 1, accounts for about 75% of cases in the U.S. The drugs selected for treatment depend in part on the genotype of HCV infecting a person.
When is it ordered?
The CDC recommends screening for HCV infections with an HCV antibody test when people:

Have ever injected illegal drugs

Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992*

Have received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987

Were ever on long-term dialysis

Are children born to HCV-positive women

Have been exposed to the blood of someone with hepatitis C

Are healthcare, emergency medicine, or public safety workers who had needlesticks, sharps, or mucosal exposure to HCV-positive blood

Have evidence of chronic liver disease

Have HIV

Were born between 1945 and 1965, regardless of other risk factors for HCV

*The blood supply has been monitored in the U.S. since 1992, and any units of blood that test positive for HCV are rejected for use in another person. The current risk of HCV infection from transfused blood is about one case per two million transfused units.

HCV antibody testing may be done when someone has abnormal results on a liver panel, for example, or signs and symptoms associated with hepatitis. In these cases, it may be done as part of an acute hepatitis panel. Most people newly infected with HCV have no symptoms or ones that are so mild that they rarely prompt a person to visit a healthcare provider and get tested for HCV. However, about 10-20% of people may experience signs and symptoms such as fatigue, pain in the abdominal area, decreased appetite, and jaundice.

An HCV RNA test or viral load is ordered as follow-up testing when an antibody test is positive to confirm an active infection. Some laboratories will automatically perform this test if the HCV antibody test is positive.

HCV genotyping is done when a person has been diagnosed with an HCV infection and is often ordered before treatment is started to guide treatment selection.

HCV viral load testing may be ordered at the start of treatment, periodically to monitor response to treatment, and after the completion of treatment to evaluate its effectiveness.

What does the test result mean?

An HCV antibody test is typically reported as "positive" or "negative."

Results of HCV viral load testing are reported as a number if virus is present. If no virus is present or if the amount of virus is too low to detect, the result is often reported as "negative" or "not detected."

Interpretation of the HCV screening and follow-up tests is shown in the table below. In general, if the HCV antibody test is positive, then the individual tested is infected or has likely been infected at some time with hepatitis C. If the HCV RNA test is positive, then the person has a current infection. If no HCV viral RNA is detected, then the person either does not have an active infection or the virus is present in very low numbers.

HCV Antibody	HCV RNA	HCV Infection
Negative		No infection or too early after exposure for the test to be accurate; if suspicion remains high, retesting at a later time may be required.
Positive or Indeterminate	Negative	Past infection or no infection (false-positive screen); additional testing if indicated
Positive or Weak or Indeterminate	Positive	Current infection

For monitoring purposes, an HCV viral load (HCV RNA quantitative) can indicate whether or not treatment is effective. A high or increasing viral load may be a sign that treatment is not successful whereas a low, decreasing, or undetectable viral load may imply that the treatment is working.

Successful treatment causes a decrease of 99% or more in viral load soon after starting treatment (as early as 2-4 weeks) and usually leads to undetectable viral load after treatment is completed. According to guidelines from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Infectious Disease Society of America, an undetectable viral load in a treated person's blood 12 weeks after the end of the treatment means that the HCV infection has responded to therapy.

The results of the HCV genotype test identifies which strain of HCV the person has and helps guide the selection and the length of treatment. Treatments may differ depending on a variety of factors, including HCV genotype and the health of the person's liver (see Common Questions #5.)

Is there anything else I should know?

HCV antibodies usually do not appear until several months after exposure but will always be present in the later stages of the disease.

About 25% of those with HIV/AIDS also have an HCV co-infection, and their liver disease is likely to progress at an accelerated rate.
If the disease is very mild, why should I be tested?

Hepatitis C often leads to chronic hepatitis, which can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Early detection of the virus can alert your healthcare provider to follow your liver function more closely than usual and to treat you if you are chronically infected.
Are there tests other than a hepatitis C RNA test that are used to follow the disease?

Yes. Liver tests such as ALT and AST are used to indicate ongoing liver injury. People who are still infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) but always have normal AST and ALT probably have very mild liver disease and may not need treatment. Other tests such as albumin, prothrombin time, and bilirubin can also be used; they are typically normal unless the person has developed cirrhosis. Sometimes a liver biopsy may be performed to determine the severity of liver damage.
Can I be vaccinated against HCV?

No. Currently, there is no vaccine available, although efforts are ongoing to develop one.
Once I have recovered from HCV, can I get infected again?

Yes. A prior infection with HCV does not protect you from another infection; it does not make you immune to HCV. Most people do not have an effective immune response to the virus. Changes that the virus undergoes as it replicates during an infection make it difficult for the body to fight against the initial or subsequent infections.
Is there treatment for HCV?
Yes. There are several drugs that can be used to treat HCV infection. Most commonly, a combination of drugs is used, and new drugs are under development. Before 2000, chronic HCV was curable in only 10% of cases. Now, treatments for HCV can cure over 90% of those detected before late complications occur, but even those with advanced liver disease often respond to treatment. This increases the opportunity to intervene early and prevent HCV-associated deaths.

Treatment for acute HCV is similar to the chronic form. However, the best regimen and when to start treatment remains uncertain.

Chronic HCV is usually treated with a combination of drugs.
Can I test myself for the virus at home?

There is an FDA-approved test kit available for collecting samples to send to a laboratory for testing. Confidential test results are provided over the telephone. You cannot actually perform the test yourself at home.
How can I tell if I can spread the infection to others?

If you have detectable HCV RNA in your blood, you have the potential to spread the disease to other people. Hepatitis C is spread by exposure to contaminated blood. The most common mechanism of exposure is the sharing of needles or other 'works' used in consuming drugs such as cocaine or heroin. Other routes of transmission include use of contaminated equipment for body piercing and tattooing, occupational exposure of healthcare workers to used needles or other sharp objects, and, less commonly, through sexual activity that results in tissue tears or from mother to baby during childbirth.

See More Common Questions See Less Common Questions

Ask a Laboratory Scientist

Your questions will be answered by a laboratory scientist as part of a voluntary service provided by one of our partners, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). Click on the Contact a Scientist button below to be re-directed to the ASCLS site to complete a request form. If your question relates to this web site and not to a specific lab test, please submit it via our Contact Us page instead. Thank you.

Contact a Scientist