Hepatitis C is a viral infection which causes liver inflammation, leading to severe liver damage in most cases. The hepatitis C virus known as HCV spreads through the contaminated blood. It is worth noting that about three and a half million U.S citizens suffer from this particular disease. However, it shows very few symptoms, and this implies you won’t be able to tell if you are suffering from it.
Until recently, hepatitis C treatments required weekly oral medications and injections, which most HCV-infected individuals couldn’t take due to intolerable and unacceptable diverse effects as well as other health-related problems. This has changed. Currently, chronic HCV is curable with oral medications taken on a daily basis for two to five months, depending on the health care provider. Despite all these massive improvements, still, half of the people having HCV don’t know that they are infected since they have no visible symptoms, which can take years to appear.
For this particular reason, the U.S Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention recommends that people should undergo a one-time screening blood test. The largest group at risk includes those born between 1945 and 1965, a population likely to be infected five times more than those born during other years.
So today in this post, we want to learn about the HCV diagnostic tests. Read on and enhance your understanding.
You should note that there are two main types of blood tests ideal for the diagnostic ofHepatitis C. First, patients will have screening tests which show if they’ve ever had the disease at some stage their lives. If this particular test is positive, patients will have the second test conducted, meant to reveal if indeed they have HCV now. Check out below for the detailed description of each one.
Hepatitis C antibody test.
If you didn’t know, this refers to the test used by healthcare professionals to show whether you have ever been exposed to Hepatitis C at a time in your life or not. It detects the antibodies present in your blood. Antibodies are preventive substances which your body manufactures so as to fight off all types of possible infections. The assumption here is that if you were ever suffered from Hepatitis C, your body would have processed antibodies to fend off the virus.
If the test result is:
• Positive, then it means that you have had HCV previously. But, this does not entirely reveal whether or not you have it now. A further Hepatitis C RNA test will have to be carried out, to determine if the virus is still present and active in your blood.
• Negative, it implies that you have not been exposed to HCV. As a result, no further testing is conducted after this.
Molecular HCV RN Tests.
You should note that molecular diagnostic test for hepatitis C is meant to detect HCV RNA specifically. This process is known as Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests, (NAAT). The HCV NAAT becomes positive approximately seven to fifteen days after initial HCV infection. In the last few years, this particular test has been used as the ultimate conventional supplemental test for individuals having an HCV EIA screening test that is positive. It can effectively reveal whether an individual with an active HCV antibody test has resolved or current HCV infection. Moreover, the nucleic acid test help diagnose patients with acute hepatitis infection. The test is broadly divided into:
Hepatitis C RNA Qualitative Test.
This provides a no or yes answer regarding whether identifiable HCV RNA is available in the blood sample. In short, it shows if you are currently infected with hepatitis C. It is usually known as the PCR test since it involves the process known as Polymerase Chain Reaction. It identifies the genetic material RNA of the HCV in your blood.
If the result is;
• Positive; this confirms that you have hepatitis C.
• Negative; it shows that even though you may have been infected with the virus at some point, your body has destroyed the virus on its own.
Quantitative Hepatitis C RNA Test.
This particular test is aimed at measuring the amount of hepatitis C virus available in the blood of the patient. To be more precise, the test is usually used to examine patients’ response to hepatitis treatment by comparing the amount of virus in their bloodstream before, during and after the treatment. If you are having lower amounts of virus in your body before beginning treatment, you could have a higher chance of eliminating the virus.
Over the last few years, the health industry has undergone lots of transformations. Even certain conditions that were not considered curable previously can now be treated. The hepatitis C is considered curable especially if the virus is not detected in your body if measured with a blood test three months after the completion of the treatment. This process is known as Sustained Virologic Response. There are many healthcare providers around the world, where you can seek treatment if you have hepatitis C. If you are suffering from HCV, you may consult MedEmbassy, who can help diagnose and treat your condition.
The Bottom Line.
You may not be able to tell if you have hepatitis C since the symptoms are often very rare. This implies that for you to keep yourself as healthy as possible, you must regularly go for medical appointments and get medical checkups. Again, if you currently don’t have hepatitis C, it is advisable that you reduce your risk of infection by living a cautious life.
