Diagnostic Tests
HCV Antibody |
Anti-HCV tests detect the
presence of antibodies to the virus, indicating exposure to HCV. These
tests cannot tell if you still have an active viral infection, only that
you were exposed to the virus in the past. Usually, the test is reported
as “positive” or “negative.” There is some evidence that, if your test
is “weakly positive,” it may not mean that you have been exposed to the
HCV virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised
its guidelines in 2003 and suggests that weakly positive tests be
confirmed with the HCV RIBA test before being
reported.
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