Testing for HCV Infection:
Accurate testing to identify current infection is important to:
1) Help clinicians and other providers correctly identify persons infected with HCV, so that preventive services, care and treatment can be offered;
2) Notify tested persons of their infection status, enabling them to make informed decisions about medical care and options for HCV treatment, take measures to limit HCV-associated disease progression (e.g., avoidance or reduction of alcohol intake, and vaccination against hepatitis A and B), and minimize risk for transmitting HCV to others;
3) Inform persons who are not currently infected of their status and the fact that they are not infectious.
Testing for HCV infection begins with either a rapid or a laboratory-conducted assay for HCV antibody in blood. A nonreactive HCV antibody result indicates no HCV antibody detected. A reactive result indicates one of the following:
1) Current HCV infection
2) Past HCV infection that has resolved
3) False positivity. A reactive result should be followed by NAT for HCV RNA. If HCV RNA is detected, that indicates current HCV infection. If HCV RNA is not detected, that indicates either past, resolved HCV infection, or false HCV antibody positivity.
