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Hep C & Hiv testing

Should i be worried about having HIV if i tested positive on my first Hepititis C test
Best Answer
1815939 tn?1377991799
Was your test a test for Hep C antibodies orwas it a test to see if you are currently infected with Hepatitis C?

If your test was for Hep C antibodies it came back positive, then you should get the Hep C RNA test to determine if you actually have active disease.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hepatitis-c/tab/test

While most people with Hep C are not co-infected with HIV, many are. In addition, depending on a persn's life style history and risk factors, some people with certain high risk factors are more likely than others to be co-infected.

This is a link to a tutorial on Hep C. Just keep pushing the next button at the end of the test on each page:

http://www.hepmag.com/articles/2512_18726.shtml

Additional information (on Hep C and HIV co-infection):

http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/HCV_9995.shtml

This is just my opinion, but if your Hep C RNA test was positive then I think it would be wise to get an HIV test. I would.

Good luck.
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Avatar universal
Its been done. I was tested for HIV at my annul but i wont know for another week what that brings. And its very scary & stressful to sit around and wait fearing the worse. I find my heart racing during the day at the thought of it
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Avatar universal

I believe the test i had done was for the antibodies. It came back during bloodwork for a annul visit. So now they want to do another test. However i was shocked when they called and said it. Of course u get scared and begin looking it up oln the internet. Thats when i saw all the assoc. with HIV & Hep C. I did also get a HIV test done at this annul but them results dont come in for 5-7 days.The wait process is scary and durning that time my mind has been fearing the worse :(
.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I believe the test i had done was for the antibodies. It came back during bloodwork for a annul visit. So now they want to do another test. However i was shocked when they called and said it. Of course u get scared and begin looking it up oln the internet. Thats when i saw all the assoc. with HIV & Hep C. I did also get a HIV test done at this annul but them results dont come in for 5-7 days.The wait process is scary and durning that time my mind has been fearing the worse :(
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
I was tested for both and just was lucky.

Fortunately if you are co-infected these days from what other members who have been say it was easier to deal with the HIV then the Hepc tx. And now as you know, hepc kills more than HIV does........go big pharma I can't see how anybody could be against them!  :)
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
Why worry? Get tested.
Helpful - 0
1815939 tn?1377991799
If you are one of the people co-infected with HIV it seems like a big portion of the population, I bet.
----------------------------------------------

I agree.

I was trying to find the data on the percentage of people with Hep C who also have HIV. I could not find data on the percentage of people with Hep C who have HIV, but I did find data on the percentage of people with HIV who also have Hep C.

"Hepatitis C is common among people living with HIV. In the United States, 25 percent to 33 percent of people living with HIV are coinfected with HCV. This means that at least 300,000 people in the United States are living with HIV and hepatitis C."

vhttp://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/HCV_9995.shtml

I suppose a person could take that 300,000 number and calculate the percentages based on the  total number of "estimated" Hep C cases and come up with a percentage. In my opinion, since they really have no idea how many people have Hep C, it would be difficult to get an accurate number.

In addition, I wonder how many doctors routinely order an HIV test when they get back a positive Hep C RNA. Neither of my doctors did. I previously had an HIV test done after a work related exposure but my present doctors did not know that.


Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
If you are one of the people co-infected with HIV it seems like a big portion of the population, I bet.
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
If you have any concern you should be tested. We dont know your history or anything so it's impossible for us to know but if you have hcv that you got from ivdu then for sure..........I'd be tested.
Helpful - 0
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