How do you interpret HCV PCR results?
If your results are:
- Fewer than 15 IU/mL: The virus is detected, but the amount can’t be measured exactly.
- Fewer than 800,000 IU/mL: A low viral load is detected.
- More than 800,000 IU/mL: A high viral load is detected.
- More than 100,000,000 IU/mL: The virus is detected and active infection is taking place.
What is PCR test for HCV?
The HCV RNA PCR test is a blood test that helps a doctor diagnose hepatitis C. The test measures the level of the hepatitis C virus in the bloodstream. Hepatitis C (HCV) is an infection that causes scarring in the liver and reduces function in this vital organ. Severe HCV can lead to liver failure.
What does HCV cirrhosis mean?
Rizza, M.D. End-stage hepatitis C means the liver has been severely damaged by the hepatitis C virus. The hepatitis C virus slowly damages the liver over many years, often progressing from inflammation to permanent, irreversible scarring (cirrhosis).
What is HCV RT PCR quantitative?
The Quantitative, real-time PCR test measures the IU (international units) of the HCV (hepatitis C) RNA per millimeter of plasma or serum. This test is typically only done for known HCV positive individuals.
What is HCV normal range?
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).
What if anti HCV test is positive?
► 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.
When is hep C PCR test conclusive?
Even at 15 weeks, only about 80% of HCV-infected persons will have positive HCV Ab [MMWR rr5005a1]. Therefore, the6-month (24-week) HCV antibody test is considered to be conclusive in excluding HCV acquisition: ≥97% will be positive at 6 months post exposure [MMWR rr5005a1].
How long is HCV PCR?
Test results can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to come back. Rapid anti-HCV tests are available in some health clinics and the results of these tests are available in 20 to 30 minutes.
Can cirrhosis from Hep C be reversed?
Recent studies have confirmed that if you have fibrosis – or even cirrhosis – and are treated and cured of hep C, the development of fibrosis will stop, and fibrosis will reverse in the majority of patients. Liver damage reversal is possible even when cirrhosis has developed.
What’s the difference between liver cirrhosis and hepatitis?
In general, hepatitis may or may not be reversible (curable), whereas cirrhosis refers to permanent scarring of the liver, often as the result of chronic hepatitis. While some forms of hepatitis may come on very rapidly, cirrhosis also tends to develop more gradually.
What is HCV negative?
Negative – you were infected with hepatitis C virus, but the virus is no longer in your body because you were cured or cleared the virus naturally. • Positive – you now have the virus in your blood. If you have a reactive antibody test and a positive NAT for HCV RNA, you will need to talk to a doctor about treatment.
Is Hep C cirrhosis curable?
A liver transplant is the only effective cure for advanced cirrhosis. Most people who receive a liver transplant for hepatitis C survive for at least five years after the transplant.
How long can you live with hep C and cirrhosis?
People with cirrhosis can live for decades, especially if it’s diagnosed early and managed well. About 5 to 20 percent of people with chronic hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis.
Is real-time PCR adequate for the management of chronic hepatitis C?
The results show that real-time PCR using the two available commercial assays is adequate for the management of therapeutic responses to chronic hepatitis C. Considering the viral kinetics and the rapid and early virological responses, a very good correlation was observed between the Abbott and Roche assays, irrespective of the HCV genotype.
What do the results of the HCV RNA PCR test mean?
The results of the HCV RNA PCR test help a doctor recommend different ways of reducing the viral load. The viral load indicates how many HCV viral particles are in the blood. If a doctor suspects that a person has HCV, they will recommend this test early on in the diagnostic process, even if it is not the first test they carry out.
Is a single PCR assay adequate for clinical and therapeutic management of HCV?
In conclusion, the high sensitivities and large dynamic ranges of the Abbott and Roche assays show that a single real-time quantitative PCR assay is fully adequate for clinical and therapeutic management of HCV.
What is a normal viral load for a PCR test?
The viral load results from the quantitative PCR test can range from 15 to 100,000,000 IU/L. If your results are: Fewer than 15 IU/mL: The virus is detected, but the amount can’t be measured exactly. You may need to return later for another test to see if the measurement changes.