Hepatitis C Antibody Test

What are the other names for this test?

Hepatitis C test

What is a Hepatitis C Antibody test?

A hepatitis C antibody test can determine antibodies in response to the hepatitis C virus in your blood. Antibodies are proteins developed by your immune system. Antibodies help to prevent your body against infection, viruses, or bacteria.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that leads to liver inflammation or liver damage. It may transmit through several ways, like from contaminated blood. The Hepatitis antibody test is the first test to see whether you have been infected with HCV.

Hepatitis C can divide into two; Acute hepatitis C and Chronic Hepatitis C.

Acute hepatitis C: This will occur during the initial six months of exposure to the virus. Acute hepatitis does not show symptoms. Most people didn't think they possessed this infection. One-fourth of people recover from the virus as the immune system prevents your body from HCV infection.

Chronic hepatitis C: This type of hepatitis C is produced when your immune system loses the capacity to fight the virus. The cycle of developing acute to chronic hepatitis C often happens in about 70% to 85% of patients. You may need to diagnose chronic hepatitis C before it leads to complications, such as liver cancer, liver damage, or disease.

What is the purpose of this test?

A hepatitis C antibody test helps to see whether you have an infection. A hepatitis C test may use to:
 

• Screen HCV (hepatitis C virus) from other hepatitis, such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
• Screen for acute hepatitis C as it does not show symptoms. This test helps to detect hepatitis C before liver damage.
• Diagnose HCV if you are experiencing symptoms of liver failure.
• See the risks for developing HCV infection in a pregnant woman.
• Monitor your treatment if you have been infected with hepatitis C.

When do I need to take this test?

The presence of the hepatitis C virus leads to long-term infection, also known as chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C does not appear for several years in the body till the virus causes liver damage. You may need this at least once a year if you are 18 or above to screen for hepatitis C.

Your healthcare provider recommends the hepatitis C antibody test if you are experiencing symptoms of liver disease.

Symptoms of liver disease
 

• Loss of appetite
• Itchy skin
• Losing weight
• Deposition of fluid in the abdomen
• Bleeding and bruising happen
• Eyes and skin color turn yellow (jaundice)
• Swelling in the legs
• Fatigue
• Spider shape blood vessels appear on your skin
• Sleepy and lethargic feeling
• Confusion
• Urine color changes to dark

Book an online order for a hepatitis C antibody test at an affordable cost.

The acute phase develops first before the chronic hepatitis C infection. You may have a low chance of symptoms of acute hepatitis C and generally remain undetectable. Some signs may include jaundice with nausea, fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. After two to three months of exposure to the virus, symptoms of acute hepatitis show up and remain there till within two weeks to three months.

HCV can also recover in some people in the acute phase before the chronic virus. This condition is called spontaneous viral clearance. It does not always happen that acute hepatitis C goes to chronic infection.

Hepatitis C may spread to other people in many ways, including
 

• Sharing of the needle to take injections of drugs
• If you perform sex with an already infected person from the hepatitis C virus.
• Working in a healthcare center where you may be exposed to contaminated blood.

What is the procedure for hepatitis C antibody test?
 
The sample depends on the test type your provider recommends to you. You may need to provide a blood sample, urine sample, or swab from your throat or nasal. For the blood test, the following are the steps of a rubella test that include:
 

• Your provider will ask you to stay relaxed and calm before the test.
• Take a seat in front of your provider and remove your cloth from one of the arms.
• A small needle will inject into the vein in your arm.
• Your blood sample will collect in a test tube
• A little discomfort or pain may happen during the test or at the time of injection of the needle.
• Regular activities may resume after the test.
• This test will finish within five minutes.

How do I need to prepare for this test?

A hepatitis C antibody test does not need any specific preparation. You may eat or drink if you have only this test. But when your provider asks for other blood tests, you may need to fast for at least several hours. You can inform your provider about medicines, supplements, or vitamins you use. Do not avoid your medication without the prescription of your doctor.

Are there any risks involved in this test?
 
A hepatitis C antibody test contains low risks when you give a blood sample to your provider. Vein differs from person to person. You may experience low risks when the needle injects into your vein, include
 

• Infection
• Bruising
• Extreme Bleeding
• Slight pain
• Hematoma (Deposition of blood under the skin)

 
What do the test results indicate?

The antibodies developed due to hepatitis C appear after 12 weeks of infection. Your test results will be delivered to you within a few days. The hepatitis C antibody test results depend on factors such as gender, age, medical history, and family history of hepatitis C.

Negative result: The negative test results indicate that you have no antibodies in your blood and show no hepatitis C in your body.

Positive result: The positive test result means antibodies develop in response to hepatitis C, indicating that you have hepatitis C. Your provider will recommend another test to confirm HCV.

Learn about your Hepatitis C antibody test results with a professionally verified doctor through an online meetup.

What additional tests do I need along with this test?

If your test result for the Hepatitis C antibody test is positive, you may need some other tests, such as hepatitis C RNA and Genotype test.
 

• Hepatitis C RNA: RNA is a genetic material from HCV that may present in your blood. Your provider will use this test to find the virus amount in your blood. Qualitative tests may help to see the presence of HCV RNA. Quantitative tests determine the HCV RNA amount. Your provider will understand the HCV amount that helps in treatment.
• Genotype test: Hepatitis C consists of six different forms. These are known as strains or genotypes. The strain will decide the treatment for hepatitis C. This test will help your provider to give you the required treatment if you have experienced HCV. 

Your provider will also recommend liver function tests to diagnose your liver.

What are the risk factors for hepatitis C?

The following are risk factors for hepatitis C that you should consider:
 

• Conducting a blood transfusion or organ transplant earlier than July 1992
• If you are the person having kidney dialysis
• If you are a child whose mother has experienced hepatitis C.
• Having recent or current use of drugs through injection.
• Having an HIV infection
• Performing an unprotected sex
• Expose to a person who already has infected with the virus
• If you are pregnant
• Taking blood from the donor containing HCV
• Getting a tattoo on the body in an unclean environment with contaminated apparatus.
• Having concentrated clotting factors earlier than 1987