How Long Before Testing Positive

How long after being infected with the HCV virus do you test positive for it??? Can you have it for 30 years and not test positive?

[SusieS2010]

The average time for an antibody to test positive is 11 weeks after exposure. Most people test antibody positive between 6 and 24 weeks. A viral load test (HCV/RNA by PCR) will be positive in approximately 2 weeks. You cannot test negative for antibodies once you are exposed. You can test negative by a viral load test after 30 years if you treated and cleared  or spontaneously cleared the virus (in the first 6 months after exposure).


The most important thing to know if you are antibody positive is what your viral load is. If it is undetected, you do not have hepatitis C.

[mickey1959]

Can you pass the virus to another person with the antibody only or is your sexual partner safe from contracting the disease? If the answer is no, then why are we not able to donate blood or organs?

[hrsepwrguy]

If you have had a positive antibodies test and a negative PCR or TMA test, no you cannot pass the virus on because you don't carry the virus only the antibodies but will always test positive for the antibodies as you would antibodies for say chicken pox if you had that as a child. You can't donate blood because you are positive for the antibodies and that is their rules, not much you can do about it.

[hrsepwrguy]

After reading your profile I have just 1 question, are you SVR (negative PCR or TMA 6 months post treatment) if so you have no worries. All the above applies.