Nothing to add really except if the RIBA was positive, then you were exposed to HCV and cleared it. If the RIBA is negative then you have a false positive antibody test. Neither one is anything to worry about, however the blood bank people will not want you to donate blood. I always do repeat the PCR test in 6 months or a year. Stay well! DTD
"Had further labs done, and antibodies still showed up. On April 11 had viral load and genotype testing. On April 22- received "undetectable" results and thus no genotype or viral load. Have I spontaneously cleared the virus? I assume that the virus would be present before antibodies. "
Jakied - only problem with this scenario is that there are multiple tests showing antibodies - but no VL --- so subject is UND --- which means spontaneous clearance or VL so entirely low that it is undetectable...
Methinks more on the lines of Spontaneous clearance.
But Dr. D will have to positively answer the question.
I just think he's probably enjoying the holiday --- heck I KNOW I would be if I worked as hard as he does.
Meki
If I read your post correctly, you had a reactive screening test, a neg
confirmatory test (Riba) and a neg Pcr test, which checks for the virus.
Is that correct? If so, then your screening test was a false pos and you
do not have antibody or virus for hep c.
flaCW -
There are a small percentage of folks who go through acute phase and somehow their immune system is able to spontaneously clear the Hepatitis C virus.
Those people remain UND for virus.
So technically you are "cured" but have the Antibodies from the virus.
I didn't know that they had to have virus to test genotype --- that's interesting --- there's a lot I don't know about the virus... But it kind of makes total sense - because if there is not a virus cell present in your blood then they cannot tell what type it is --- -because it isn't there.
I'm assuming you're one of those that cured automatically.
In that case - I'd probably take a PCR test every couple of years to keep checking on it --- but probably not more than every 3 or 4 years.
Much luck to you...
Dr. D is probably having a grand fourth of July!!!!
Meki