When is hep c undetectable

HCV causes hepatitis C, which is a liver infection. While hepatitis can be a temporary, mild condition, it may progress into a chronic condition. Without treatment, the infection can cause serious health problems, including damage to the liver. The body produces antibodies to fight specific antigens.

An HCV antibody test detects antibodies in the blood that the immune system has created to respond to an HCV infection. Healthcare professionals use HCV antibody tests to determine if people may have had any previous exposure to HCV or if they have a current hepatitis C infection. If results are negative or nonreactive, a person has not acquired the hepatitis C infection.

However, if results are positive or reactive, it means an individual has had exposure to HCV at some point. However, positive test results do not always mean an active virus — people who are clear or cured of the virus will still have antibodies in their blood. If individuals test negative for HCV antibodies and have a low suspicion for any recent exposure to HCV, they will not need to take any further action.

This is important, as the body may not develop antibodies against HCV until 2 months after exposure to the virus. An HCV RNA test can also show how a person with a hepatitis C infection responds to treatment to see if medication is helping lower the viral load.

Viral load testing is important because it shows whether someone has an active hepatitis C infection or not.

People can have antibodies in their blood from previous exposure to hepatitis C, but they may not have an active infection. Viral load also shows the amount of the virus in the bloodstream. This can help indicate the effectiveness of treatments in reducing the virus by comparing viral load before, during, and after hepatitis C treatment.

What are the chances of someone with HCV infection developing cirrhosis or liver cancer? Who is more likely to develop cirrhosis after becoming infected with HCV? How many different genotypes of HCV exist?

Can superinfection with more than one HCV genotype occur? Can people become infected with a different strain of HCV after they have cleared the initial infection? Is hepatitis C a common cause for liver transplantation? How many deaths can be attributed to chronic HCV infection? Is there a hepatitis C vaccine? Transmission and Symptoms.

How is HCV transmitted? Is non-injection cocaine use associated with HCV transmission? What is the risk of acquiring hepatitis C infection from transfused blood or blood products in the United States? Can hepatitis C be spread during medical or dental procedures? Do hepatitis C outbreaks occur in healthcare settings? Can hepatitis C be spread within a household? What are the signs and symptoms of acute HCV infection? How soon after exposure to HCV do symptoms appear? What are the signs and symptoms of chronic HCV infection?

What are the extrahepatic manifestations of chronic HCV infection? Testing and Diagnosis. Who should be tested for HCV infection? Who should be tested for HCV on a routine basis? How should providers determine hepatitis C prevalence to inform testing within their practices? What blood tests are used to detect HCV infection?

How do I interpret the different tests for HCV infection? Is an algorithm for hepatitis C diagnosis available?

Is someone with a positive anti-HCV test still at risk for hepatitis C? Can a patient have a normal liver enzyme e. Where can I learn more about hepatitis C serology? Management and Treatment. What should a provider do for a patient with confirmed HCV infection?

What advice and messages should be given to patients diagnosed with hepatitis C? Which types of health-care providers can effectively manage patients with hepatitis C? What resources are available to providers who wish to manage treatment for patients with hepatitis C Is routine HCV genotyping required when managing a person with hepatitis C?

Should people with hepatitis C be restricted from working in certain occupations or settings? Should patients with acute hepatitis C receive treatment? What is the treatment for chronic hepatitis C? Are patients undergoing treatment for hepatitis C at risk for reactivation of an existing hepatitis B virus HBV infection? How are these patients managed? Hepatitis C and Health-care Personnel. How can health-care personnel avoid exposure to HCV?

What is the risk of acquiring hepatitis C after being accidentally exposed to HCV-contaminated blood or body fluids in the workplace? Other than needlesticks, do other exposures like splashes to the eye place health-care personnel at risk for hepatitis C? Should HCV-infected health-care personnel be restricted in their work? How are health-care personnel managed after being exposed to the blood of an infected patient?

Pregnancy and Hepatitis C. Should pregnant women be tested for HCV antibodies? Can a mother with hepatitis C infect her infant during birth? Should a woman with hepatitis C be advised against breastfeeding? When should children born to HCV-infected mothers be tested to see if they were infected at birth?

Who is at risk for hepatitis C infection? The following people are at increased risk for hepatitis C: People with HIV infection Current or former people who use injection drugs PWID , including those who injected only once many years ago People with selected medical conditions, including those who ever received maintenance hemodialysis 4 , 5 Prior recipients of transfusions or organ transplants, including people who received clotting factor concentrates produced before , people who received a transfusion of blood or blood components before July , people who received an organ transplant before July , and people who were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for HCV infection Health care, emergency medical, and public safety personnel after needle sticks, sharps, or mucosal exposures to HCV-positive blood Children born to mothers with HCV infection Is it possible for someone to become infected with HCV and then spontaneously clear the infection?

What is the likelihood of HCV infection becoming chronic More than half of people who become infected with HCV will develop chronic infection 6 , 7. Why do most people remain chronically infected with HCV? Seven HCV genotypes and 67 subtypes have been identified 9. Possible exposures include Injection-drug use currently the most common mode of HCV transmission in the United States 2 Birth to an HCV-infected mother Although less frequent, HCV can also be spread through: Sex with an HCV-infected person an inefficient means of transmission, although HIV-infected men who have sex with men [MSM] have increased risk of sexual transmission Sharing personal items contaminated with infectious blood, such as razors or toothbrushes Other health-care procedures that involve invasive procedures, such as injections usually recognized in the context of outbreaks Unregulated tattooing Receipt of donated blood, blood products, and organs rare in the United States since blood screening became available in Needlestick injuries in health-care settings What is the prevalence of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs PWID?

What is the risk of acquiring hepatitis C from transfused blood or blood products in the United States? Do hepatitis C outbreaks occur in health care settings? CDC recommends that people who are diagnosed with hepatitis C be provided medical evaluation by either a primary-care clinician or specialist [e.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Share on Pinterest. Hepatitis C overview. Hepatitis C virus antibody test. Hepatitis C virus RNA assays. Why is the viral load test important? Low vs. How often do I need a viral load test? Who should be tested and when? Read this next. What tests do I need? Where can I get tested? Must I answer personal questions? Is there counseling? How long after exposure does it take to test positive?