s it possible to be antibody positive with an undectible viral load.

I had a blood draw yesterday.  I am expecting that my viral load will be negative next week when I see the doctor. Is it possible to be antibody positive with an undectible viral load.  Please pray for both.  I suspect that the plan will be to continue with the treatment for 44 weeks after undectable.  
Pax
Daniel

[HCA]

You'll always be antibody positive even after you clear the active virus.Doesn't matter though-just don't try to be a blood donor!

[Andromedae]

HCA I think you are right of course but I do wonder about something.  I was inoculated for HCB virus in '02 and just found out last week that I no longer have reactive antibodies anymore to HCB (cue Scooby-Doo : Hunnnh? ??)

So I guess that you can lose your antibody immunity to vaccines at least - but I wonder if there are those who might, after having fought off the virus, eventually lose their immunity to HCV and become antibody negative again?

No idea if it's possible (and I think that antibodies are a GOOD thing) but just wondering ....

[Jakied]

The hep B vaccine needs a booster from time to time, maybe every ten years or so.

There is NO immunity to Hep C.  Having it once and clearing it offers NO protection

against a re-infection.  The antibodies for hep c, which remain after clearence, are NO

protection against re-infection.  

[Andromedae]

"The antibodies for hep c, which remain after clearence, are NO
protection against re-infection."  

Well that's kind of depressing, but I do wonder is there is some leeway on that thinking?  I know that it is possible to get re-infected with different genotypes of HCV.  I would think that the antibodies offer some protection (even if minimal) against the HCV that yuo were infect with originally?  Isn't that what antibodies do?

Well I don't know either way of course but I would be interested in seeing if there is any research either way.  I know that we get infected because the virus essentially overpowers out bodies defenses and then takes hold in the liver and can transfer itself directly from cell to cell  thus circumventing the interstitial fluids where the antibidies reside.  I do wonder whether an initial infection, say through an open wound, could be fought off by existing antibodies before the virus has a chance to take hold in the liver?    Just speculation here....