Girlfriend was "Cured" of HCV and is now positive again

[concernedmale65]

Hi, my new girlfriend, who I like very much, was very open with me about the fact that she had a blood transfusion as a baby for several surgeries she had to have, which left her HCV positive.  She and I were about to move into the sexual part of our relationship, so we both got tested for STDs to show each other we had a clean bill of health.  Well as it turns out, her bloodwork showed she was HCV positive again...this is after achieving SVR (not sure for how long she had achieved this yet).  She told me and was very upset, so I obviously just gave her a hug and held her.  No other way to respond she was so upset.  I'm curious, does anyone on here have any experience with this?  Possibility for false positives or possibility for her to need to seek additional treatment?  I hope you can forgive any questions that may seem ignorant.  I am mostly focused on her health, but naturally I'm also concerned about the implications for our future relationship (I understand it is very low risk to pass it to me through sex, but still, I'm human, and I'm just carefully looking at this situation).  If anyone can shed some light on her situation, I'd love to hear it.  She's a great woman and I'd like to get any info for her that could help.  Thanks in advance!

[flyinlynn]

She should never test for hep c antibodies she will test positive for antibodies for the rest of her life. Antibodies are not the virus they are made by our own bodies when we try to fights an infection. As said below to confirm she is still free of hep c she needs a HCV RNA by PCR test to confirm she is still free of the virus but very likely she is still clear good luck to you both

[Idyllic]

Your girlfriend will always test positive for Hepatitis C when testing for the antibodies. She needs to have a PCR to see if the virus is back.

[sparky43]

Yep, as can-do-man said, once you have been infected by Hepatitis C, you will test positive for the standard antibody test.  The antibodies are created by the immune system to fight the virus.  Even when the virus is cleared from the body, the antibodies are still floating around the bloodstream.  Your girlfriend needs to get a DNA PCR test for Hepatitis C, which detects the actual virus.   If that comes back negative (which it probably will), then she is fine.

[can-do-man]

The blood test they ran would only show she is positive for Hep C antibodies. Anybody whoever had Hep C will test positive even when they are cured (SVR) so there are no worries there.

Best to you both...

[concernedmale65]

Also, is it possible she still has HCV antibodies although the does not actually have the virus any more?  Thanks!