Antibody positive but virus undetected

[FlaCW]

Hello,

I am a 24 year old woman, have never used any illegal or intravenous drugs, 0-1 alcoholic beverages/week if that. I have had one sexual partner in my life who is HCV negative. While having a routine physical in March 2008 I requested to be tested for all STI's. Prior to that, I had never been tested for STI's. All tests came back negative, but I was informed that I tested positive for HCV antidbodies. In that same visit (March 13) the nurse practitioner ordered a "confirmatory test" to see if I had an active virus. On March 17, she called me to infrom me that my test came back "negative". To be on the safe side, I set up an appointment to see an Immunologist. Had further labs done, and antibodies still showed up. On April 11 had viral load and genotype testing. On April 22- received "undetectable" results and thus no genotype or viral load. Have I spontaneously cleared  the virus? I assume that the virus would be present before antibodies.

Thank you in advance.

[Douglas Dieterich, MD]

Nothing to add really except if the RIBA was positive, then you were exposed to HCV and cleared it. If the RIBA is negative then you have a false positive antibody test. Neither one is anything to worry about, however the blood bank people will not want you to donate blood. I always do repeat the PCR test in 6 months or a year. Stay well! DTD

[meki]

flaCW -

There are a small percentage of folks who go through acute phase and somehow their immune system is able to spontaneously clear the Hepatitis C virus.

Those people remain UND for virus.

So technically you are "cured" but have the Antibodies from the virus.

I didn't know that they had to have virus to test genotype --- that's interesting --- there's a lot I don't know about the virus... But it kind of makes total sense - because if there is not a virus cell present in your blood then they cannot tell what type it is --- -because it isn't there.

I'm assuming you're one of those that cured automatically.

In that case - I'd probably take a PCR test every couple of years to keep checking on it --- but probably not more than every 3 or 4 years.

Much luck to you...

Dr. D is probably having a grand fourth of July!!!!

Meki

[Jakied]

If I read your post correctly, you had a reactive screening test, a neg

confirmatory test (Riba) and a neg Pcr test, which checks for the virus.

Is that correct?  If so, then your screening test was a false pos and you

do not have antibody or virus for hep c.

[meki]

"Had further labs done, and antibodies still showed up. On April 11 had viral load and genotype testing. On April 22- received "undetectable" results and thus no genotype or viral load. Have I spontaneously cleared  the virus? I assume that the virus would be present before antibodies. "


Jakied - only problem with this scenario is that there are multiple tests showing antibodies - but no VL --- so subject is UND --- which means spontaneous clearance or VL so entirely low that it is undetectable...

Methinks more on the lines of Spontaneous clearance.

But Dr. D will have to positively answer the question.

I just think he's probably enjoying the holiday --- heck I KNOW I would be if I worked as hard as he does.

Meki