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POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE (Hep C)? RNA / Antibody
Hello, I'm a 29 year old female who tested positive for Hep C antibodies in 1998 (when I was 17 years old).
In 2008 I was referred to a Liver Specialist / Internists who ran an HCV RNA test which came back as saying: Hep C-Quantitative RNA Not detected.
The Liver Specialist was very strong in stating that I did NOT have Hep C! Imagine my surprise after 10 years of living with the worry.
Now things have started all over again, I recently tested positive on the Hep C antibody test this October 2010, with a new health care practitioner and am going through the whole process of testing HCV RNA all over again.
( actually I have been very ill w/ positive ANA test w/ two patterns 1:160, really high heart rate 160 bpm + other problems that probably don't concern this question)
Does anyone here have experience testing negative on HCV RNA Quantitative and then it coming back a couple of years later? What's happening here with me? Do I have Hep C or not?
I have never had treatment for the virus.
How accurate are these tests?
Thank you so much for your thoughts/ advice / ideas / experience!
FYI: there was also a test done in 2006, before the "Not detected" in 2008 that says Viral RNA is <600 I.U. /ml.
In 2008 I was referred to a Liver Specialist / Internists who ran an HCV RNA test which came back as saying: Hep C-Quantitative RNA Not detected.
The Liver Specialist was very strong in stating that I did NOT have Hep C! Imagine my surprise after 10 years of living with the worry.
Now things have started all over again, I recently tested positive on the Hep C antibody test this October 2010, with a new health care practitioner and am going through the whole process of testing HCV RNA all over again.
( actually I have been very ill w/ positive ANA test w/ two patterns 1:160, really high heart rate 160 bpm + other problems that probably don't concern this question)
Does anyone here have experience testing negative on HCV RNA Quantitative and then it coming back a couple of years later? What's happening here with me? Do I have Hep C or not?
I have never had treatment for the virus.
How accurate are these tests?
Thank you so much for your thoughts/ advice / ideas / experience!
FYI: there was also a test done in 2006, before the "Not detected" in 2008 that says Viral RNA is <600 I.U. /ml.
Hi Oona—
Primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) outside of cirrhosis is rare; HCV infection itself doesn’t increase this risk; only when accompanied by advanced cirrhosis. It generally takes decades for HCV to progress to cirrhosis.
--Bill
Primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) outside of cirrhosis is rare; HCV infection itself doesn’t increase this risk; only when accompanied by advanced cirrhosis. It generally takes decades for HCV to progress to cirrhosis.
--Bill
I'm posting more info, because I got some today. I guess tomorrow I might know a little bit more, but they did call me about the CT (rather quickly, too). From what I was able to understand, the radiologist is recommending a CT scan because of possible fatty infiltration of the liver. This seems strange to me, and there was no mention of hemangioma this time, even though this is what they were testing for. I am very small (104 lbs) and hardly eat any fatty foods at all. I also had an ultrasound in November 2009 which didn't show anything, so I'm starting to get a bit scared about all of this. I'm not sure where to post for answers now, and am worried that this could be something more serious (like cancer). I guess if they thought it was remotely that, they would probably be saying something about it in one of the two imaging tests that I've had thus far. I have read that, sometimes, exposure to Hep C can make it more likely to develop certain forms of liver cancer. Do you know if this is true? Has anyone here heard of fatty infiltration of the liver or know if it is fairly distinguishable (On CT w/ contrast or US) from other more serious illnesses? Thanks guys.
it's very good that you see things positively , i am sure that she will be better and better
Maam,
As we had gone through a lot of expenses due to her BMT we are not in a position to start the therapy right now. Secondly her LFT counts are getting lower. We had started her on iron chelation with desferal and she is also having phlebotomy every month. You know it is a great relief in a way that we don't have to go for blood transfusions every fortnight. She is doing very fine, started her school from November 5 and doing exceptionally well in academics.
LOL
walia
As we had gone through a lot of expenses due to her BMT we are not in a position to start the therapy right now. Secondly her LFT counts are getting lower. We had started her on iron chelation with desferal and she is also having phlebotomy every month. You know it is a great relief in a way that we don't have to go for blood transfusions every fortnight. She is doing very fine, started her school from November 5 and doing exceptionally well in academics.
LOL
walia
i red that in few websites , and also my daughter 28 year old has cleared it on her own , i think the cause of liver abnormality of your daughter is iron overload on her liver and not hcv ,
did you start medication yet or will wait?
how is your daughter doing after the BMT?
please keep us updated, and i wish her all the best
did you start medication yet or will wait?
how is your daughter doing after the BMT?
please keep us updated, and i wish her all the best
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As far as the verbiage is concerned between ‘undetectable’ and ‘interpreted’, it’s pretty much that; verbiage, or semantics, I believe. One may have been a qualitative, rather than quantitative test, with different ways of expressing the results; but I really believe the bottom line remains the same.
Yes, once the virus has been eliminated, regardless if the challenge was from your own immune response, or from medications, it won’t return. I’ve read that the odds for virus returning after ‘SVR’ (Sustained Viral Response) from medication is less than .015%. I imagine you could Google search around using terms like ‘SVR’, ‘HCV’, and ‘durability’ and get some actual figures. I have no reason to believe the response wouldn’t be similar under your circumstances.
However, exposure and development of HCV antibodies doesn’t provide protection against another exposure; if a person was to engage in risky behavior, it’s quite possible to become reinfected again; but this of course would be from a new source.
HCV infection is sometimes associated with certain autoimmune diseases, although I’m not sure if it’s more than association; that is, if there is a causal relationship or not. I believe HCV patients have a higher rate of increased RF scores, for instance, but I’m not sure of the significance.
Best to continue discussing this with a qualified physician. You might want to consult with a rheumatologist if you haven’t already.
Best of luck to you—
Bill