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| Viral Load HCV Tests | ||||||||||
| Viral load tests are blood tests that measure HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA, or genetic material) in the blood. The presence of viral RNA indicates that the virus is actively replicating (reproducing and infecting new cells). A viral load test is usually first done after a person has tested positive for exposure to HCV based on an antibody test. A blood sample is taken and the amount of HCV RNA in a milliliter of blood is measured. Viral load tests confirm whether an individual is actively infected with HCV. Viral load test results were previously measured in number of copies, but are now typically reported in terms of International Units per milliliter (IU/mL). | ||||||||||
| Types of HCV Viral Load Tests | ||||||||||
| There are two categories of HCV viral load tests: | ||||||||||
| Qualitative viral load tests -> These tests determine the presence of HCV RNA in the blood. This type of test is usually used to confirm chronic infection with HCV. If viral RNA is de-tected, a positive result is reported; if viral RNA is not de-tected, the test result is negative. | ||||||||||
| Quantitative viral load tests -> These tests measure the amount of virus in one milliliter of blood. They are often used to assess whether or not treatment with interferon or interferon plus ribavirin is likely to be successful and, later, if treatment is working. | ||||||||||
| There are currently three tests commonly used for HCV viral load testing: | ||||||||||
| Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -> PCR tests detect HCV RNA in the blood, which indicates current active infec-tion. This type of quantitative PCR test is very sensitive, and can measure as few as 50 IU/mL. | ||||||||||
| Branched-chain DNA (bDNA) -> The bDNA method quan-titative viral load testing is easier (and cheaper) to use for a large number of samples, but only measures viral loads greater than 500 IU/mL. This means that if a person has a viral load below 500 IU/mL, HCV could be present in the blood but not detected by the test. HOME PREV NEXT |
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| This information is provided by the Hepatitis C Support Project * a non-profit organization for HCV education, support and advocacy * � 2003 Hepatitis C Support Project * Reprint permission is granted and encouraged with credit to the Hepatitis C Support Project. | ||||||||||