Hepatitis C Lab Results

My primary care physician said I am positive for Hepatitis C.  My blood work says "Hep C Virus Ab" and then "1.3 High" s/co ratio 0.0-0.9.  This doesn't seem that high to me.  I looked online and it says that my result on my blood work would either say positive or negative.  What does the "1.3 High" mean?  Thanks in advance.

[mel450]

You should take a confirmation test such as RIBA. This might just be a false positive.

[Isobella]

I would say that you tested positive for Hepatitis C antibodies.  This would show exposure to the virus and your bodies produced antibodies to it.  They would have to run an HCV RNA to determine if you have a viral load.  

Approximately 20% of those exposed to the virus clear on their own.  The rest go onto develop a chronic infection.  

When you get the viral load results, you can then determine which direction to head....if it shows up as a number, the next step will probably be an ultrasound and biopsy to determine level of damage, if any.  If it is negative, you should do a happy dance and thank your lucky stars.

We've all been where you are now and know it's unnerving to say the least....figure out which blood test you had and go from there.  

I'm wishing you the best, please keep us posted.

Isobella

[mcdicey]

Thank you.  I'm so scared right now.  The earliest I get to see the gastroenterologist is Thursday.  Then after that I'm sure I'm going to have to have more tests run so I'm still not going to know anything for a while.  

[Isobella]

It totally stinks....you'll get to learn early on that this is a diagnosis of "hurry up and wait"

I know you're scared.  Trust me....we have all been there.  But you will get through this.  Use the time waiting to read thru this forum.  Janisandfriends is a good one too.

I was diagnosed January 2008, treated 48 weeks starting August 2008.  I am now 12 weeks post and free of the virus.

Take a deep breathe.  Learn, research, ask questions.  This is not a death sentence.  It's doable.  

Get thru each appointment.  The info you gain from your results will help you decide which course to take.  It's not even certain you have the virus yet.  One day at a time.

We're all here to help.

Isobella

[mcdicey]

Do you know what "1.3 High" means?  Why would 1.3 be considered "high?"

[Bill1954]

The reference range given for the antibody test was 0.0 – 0.9; anything in this range is considered normal, and anything over this is considered ‘high’.

Try to remember that the antibody test only checks for exposure; even if this was an actual exposure (and there are frequent false positives with this test), it’s important to remember that approximately 20% of patients will clear the virus with the aid of their own immune response.

Further testing will be required to complete a diagnosis of HCV; the test will be called an ‘HCV RNA by PCR’ test, and will check for the presence of active virus.

There’s not much to be done in advance of this test, other than to avoid alcohol, and perhaps read a little about this disease. If you like, take a look at Janis and Friends:

http://janis7hepc.com/have_you_been_just_diagnosed.htm

This is the link to their ‘newly diagnosed’ page; it has lots of fats that you might find interesting. You’ll want to bookmark this for future reference.

Best of luck to you, and let us know the outcome--

Bill

[mcdicey]

Thanks guys.

I went to the gastroenterologist on Thursday.  We talked for almost 45 minutes.  He said it's very unlikely that this is a false-positive, and that false-positives are very rare.  He sent me for more blood work (which include HCV RNA among other things).  I should have the results in no later than 10 days.  I was wondering, why would he tell me that false-positives are extremely rare?  Is the "20%" inaccuracy not right?

[nygirl7]

20% is not false positive it is the percentage roughly of people who's own immune systems beat the disease and no longer have it.  Antibody tests do NOT show that you have the disease only that you have been exposed to it (and could be one of the 20% that beat it).

Only the HCA RNA test that you had will tell you if you have the active virus present in your body for you to be able to tell.  

False positives are rare but if you do not have a viral count than this isn't a false positive - it just means that you had it, your body killed it, you don't have it anymore.

False positives are lower than 20% by far but it's a different thing altogether and has nothing to do with this.  It's really just terminology that seems to be breaking down here so I hope I explainned it clearly.

Wait and see what the test says before you really get upset. Even then just being diagnosed having hep is not the end of the world - in addition to the fact you might not have enough liver damage to "have" to do treatment if you dont' want to realize that at least with this disease there is a good chance at a cure.