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Avatar universal

Positive weakly??

Hi, I am currently travelling round asia with my girlfriend.. I have been feeling very tired lately so i went for a blood test on a stop in thailand and got told i am hep c weakly positive on a hcv test (Immuno-diffusion rapid test) I really dont understand this as they were no help at all and said get re-tested in 3months!
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Avatar universal
Hi nimrah.
When posting a question in the future it would be better to go to the "orange"  are at the top where it says "post a question " and start a new thread . More members will see it that way and respond.

A weakly positive (reactive ) antibodies test could mean you had a "false positive test or you were exposed to the virus and cleared it by your own immune system or possibly have active infection.

You should have either a Riba  BloodTest (recombinant immunoblot assay ) done or a PCR test done to confirm the finding .
.Good luck ..
Will
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2173096 tn?1337359904
what is the meaning of hepititis c antibody weak positive???
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Avatar universal
T best for HCV diagnosis is PCR for HCV RNA in blood. It is very specific for the virus infection. I also had positive antibodies and was alo scared because I am medical student amd once came in to direct contact with patient´s blood, but this was only a false alarm because they chceked my blood with PCR 3 times and found no virus (it was negative). False positives are quite often (I personaly know some people that had same results). RIBA is also very specific. Acording to CDC, person who was found HCV elisa positive and then RIBA negative is consider clean and no evaluation is needet.
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Avatar universal
YEAH I WOULDNT WORRY ABOUT IT FOR NOW  ARE YOU FROM THE STATES? IF SO MAYBE GET RECHECKED WHEN YOU COME BACK IF YOU ARE STILL WORRIED, SO UNTIL THEN ENJOY YOUR TRAVELING, BUT ALSO WATCH GETING TATS WHILE YOUR THERE. HAVE FUN!!!! ROCKIN516
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476246 tn?1418870914
I don't think so, False positives do unfortunately happen.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for all your replies ;) Could it then be cause by heb b cross as i have had vac's for that last year?
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Avatar universal
The screening test is VERY sensitive and can pick up antibodies other than HCV.

This is called cross reaction.  The riba test is VERY specific for HCV antibodies only.

Neg Riba means no prior exposure and no hcv antibodies in your bloodstream.

So you are good to go.



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476246 tn?1418870914
Congrats!

It looks like it was a false positive. Maybe the blood or tools were tainted.
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Avatar universal
Hi just had a RIBA test today and came back neg?! So im guessing that is ok then just does explain why hcv was positive though??
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Avatar universal
Your 'weak pos' screening test will, in all probability, be neg on the Riba test.

Do you have a risk factor for hep c?  Any blood transfusions, especially before 1991,

or intravenous drug use?
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your reply, All it says on the paper is a (Anti HCV: Positive (weakly) Method used (Immune-diffusion rapid test)
The best answer i got from them is come back in 3months and test again to see if its been cleared??? Great help kinda ruined my holiday that!
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Avatar universal
Your test was probably the Elisa screening test.  A 'weak pos' has a signal of <3.5.

If you can, ask for the 'Riba' test.  This is the confirmatory antibody test which is

VERY specific for Hcv antibody.  A 'weak pos' screening test is usually neg on the

Riba test.  Neg Riba means no antibody so no infection.

Good luck.
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