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What Does This Hep C Test Result Indicate?
Question: Hi,
Just wanted a second opinion on the lab work of a friend that had a hep c test.
Chances of this being a false positive? Or a cleared virus?
What can you tell from that ratio?
Just wanted a second opinion on the lab work of a friend that had a hep c test.
Chances of this being a false positive? Or a cleared virus?
What can you tell from that ratio?
Brief Answer:
Your friend need to go for RNA PCR test
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcoem and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I have gone through the report sent by you. After interpreting the report I can make out that your friend has positive Hepatitis C status. We can not interpret the result as false positive or cleared virus without RNA PCR test. To know the exact status, your friend need to go for RNA PCR test to know the most accurate condition.
I would like to ask whether your friend had any history of blood transfusion or any dialysis or kidney problem or history of unprotected sexual intercourse.
Hope to hear soon form your side.
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Your friend need to go for RNA PCR test
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcoem and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I have gone through the report sent by you. After interpreting the report I can make out that your friend has positive Hepatitis C status. We can not interpret the result as false positive or cleared virus without RNA PCR test. To know the exact status, your friend need to go for RNA PCR test to know the most accurate condition.
I would like to ask whether your friend had any history of blood transfusion or any dialysis or kidney problem or history of unprotected sexual intercourse.
Hope to hear soon form your side.
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
MD (Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
He really does not have a history that fits hep c. Although his mother had it, yet i think hes been tested over the years since hes in the military and has donated blood. Definitely no drugs. And careful on sex, but has been with many woman.
Is 3.38 a high ratio? Should he avoid having sex in the future as not to spread?
Also, how long does hep c take to show up on antibody tests?
Is 3.38 a high ratio? Should he avoid having sex in the future as not to spread?
Also, how long does hep c take to show up on antibody tests?
Brief Answer:
Ask your friend to go for RNA PCR for Hep C.
Detailed Answer:
Hello young lady,
Welcome again to the forum and thanks a lot for your further follow up.
Regarding your further queries:
As per your knowledge if he had been with many women then it could be the most important factor for the positive Hepatitis status. Even with best and careful protection there are always a chance of contracting the infection. Though sexual mode is not the most established mode but could be one possible mode for contracting the virus.
A ratio of 3.38 doesn't indicate any high or low ratio of activity. For knowing the exact status we have to go for RNA PCR for Hepatitis C virus. Ask your friend to get a RNA PCR test done and know the exact status of viral load in his case.
A RNA PCR detects the viral load in a person. If there are no RNA( that means RNA PCR is negative) then it indicates that the person tested had a previous infection which got cleared by itself spontaneously. SO in your friend's case it si of utmost importance to get a RNA PCR test to know the exact status.
It takes minimum of around 6–8 weeks following infection before the antibody test will show positive status.
Do give me a follow up of his RNA PCR results so that I can guide you further.
With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-DERMATOLOGY & Sexually transmitted diseases.
Ask your friend to go for RNA PCR for Hep C.
Detailed Answer:
Hello young lady,
Welcome again to the forum and thanks a lot for your further follow up.
Regarding your further queries:
As per your knowledge if he had been with many women then it could be the most important factor for the positive Hepatitis status. Even with best and careful protection there are always a chance of contracting the infection. Though sexual mode is not the most established mode but could be one possible mode for contracting the virus.
A ratio of 3.38 doesn't indicate any high or low ratio of activity. For knowing the exact status we have to go for RNA PCR for Hepatitis C virus. Ask your friend to get a RNA PCR test done and know the exact status of viral load in his case.
A RNA PCR detects the viral load in a person. If there are no RNA( that means RNA PCR is negative) then it indicates that the person tested had a previous infection which got cleared by itself spontaneously. SO in your friend's case it si of utmost importance to get a RNA PCR test to know the exact status.
It takes minimum of around 6–8 weeks following infection before the antibody test will show positive status.
Do give me a follow up of his RNA PCR results so that I can guide you further.
With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-DERMATOLOGY & Sexually transmitted diseases.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
Hep B positive status is not related to HIV status
Detailed Answer:
Hello young lady,
Thanks a lot for your so swift follow up.
Kudos to your for such a caring nature for your friend...I really appreciate your concern and care.
Regarding the possibility of HIV- There is no correlation of Hep C with HIV. It is not necessary that if a person has Hep C antibody positivity then he/she must have HIV positivity too. Still we are waiting for his Hep C RNA PCR results...so do not worry.
Also don't just correlate one thing to the other. It is practically not possible that if your friend has Hep B positive status then there should be other disease positivity. These virus not always go hand in hand with each other. So just relax yourself and relax your friend too.
Ask your friend regarding his date of last unprotected intercourse or if not possible the date then at least the weeks since then. What was the gap between that unprotected intercourse and the oral HIV test doen last month.
Revert me with the information so that I can help and guide you accordingly.
With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-DERMATOLOGY & Sexually transmitted diseases.
Hep B positive status is not related to HIV status
Detailed Answer:
Hello young lady,
Thanks a lot for your so swift follow up.
Kudos to your for such a caring nature for your friend...I really appreciate your concern and care.
Regarding the possibility of HIV- There is no correlation of Hep C with HIV. It is not necessary that if a person has Hep C antibody positivity then he/she must have HIV positivity too. Still we are waiting for his Hep C RNA PCR results...so do not worry.
Also don't just correlate one thing to the other. It is practically not possible that if your friend has Hep B positive status then there should be other disease positivity. These virus not always go hand in hand with each other. So just relax yourself and relax your friend too.
Ask your friend regarding his date of last unprotected intercourse or if not possible the date then at least the weeks since then. What was the gap between that unprotected intercourse and the oral HIV test doen last month.
Revert me with the information so that I can help and guide you accordingly.
With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kanodia
MD-DERMATOLOGY & Sexually transmitted diseases.
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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