False positive?

[agua421]

I recently got blood work done for general health and all stds. Everything came back fine except my Hep C test. (although I'm still waiting on my HIV test but she said they mail it so there's usually a delay on that). My Hep C test It came back reactive at 1.32 (anything over 1.00 is reactive). I've never used drugs and always practice safe sex. She told me it was likely a false positive but because it's a possibility she would have further testing done (NAAT). She said it would take 3-6 weeks to get the results. I'm freakin out here. I never would have thought I would come back reactive for HEP C. I can't think of anything that would have put me at risk for it. Do you guys think I should just assume it's a false positive? Anyone know the rate on false positives?

[Bill1954]

About all you can do is wait it out at this point, until he results of the NAT test are available. They use EIA (antibody) testing first, because it’s relatively inexpensive and effective measure to screen large groups of the population. However, as you’re finding out, they can be subject to error.

I don’t have any statistics for false positive results with antibody testing, and the s c/o ratio varies from mfgr to mfgr:

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/LabTesting.htm#section1

Even if the antibody results are positive, there’s a ~25% chance that you will clear the virus with your own immune response within the first six months of exposure. The results of the NAT (Nucleic Acid Test) will provide very specific results.

Best of luck to you—

Bill

[Virusbuster]

I have no clue how to interpret that value of 1.32, but I do know that HCV is transmitted sexually in only a minority of cases.

3-6 weeks sounds quite long. My viral load is determined in 1 week, so I don't understand why it should take so long in your case.