Hepatitis Test Guide

Hepatitis viruses cause liver inflammation, which can progress to cirrhosis, cancer and even death.

 

Three strains of the hepatitis virus include:

Vaccinations are available for both Hepatitis A and B, though no vaccine against Hepatitis C has been developed as of yet.

 

A hepatitis virus panel can test for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The test is a routine blood test in which blood is examined for antibodies to each of the three hepatitis viruses.

 

Hepatitis A
Symptoms of hepatitis A can take anywhere from two to six weeks to appear and often mimic the flu. A blood test can indicate the presence of HAV. IgM anti-HAV antibodies indicate a current infection and can be detected in as few as two weeks after infection, but only stay in the blood for three months to a year. IgG anti-HAV antibodies indicate a past viral infection. These antibodies offer immunity to future HAV infections and can be detected eight to 12 weeks after infection. They remain in the body forever.

One of the most prevalent symptoms of hepatitis B is jaundice, which appears after symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and body aches. Hepatitis B blood tests look for the presence of antigens, including the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG), which indicates a current acute or chronic hepatitis B infection. The antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) indicates a previous hepatitis B infection, while the presence of the antibody to HBsAG (anti-HBs) indicates immunity to hepatitis B.

 

Hepatitis C
Symptoms of hepatitis C infection take time to manifest, and many people have the virus without knowing. Early symptoms include abdominal pain, decreased appetite and fatigue. As many as 60% of those infected with hepatitis C resolve the infection spontaneously and do not need treatment. Those who have the infection longer than six months are considered to have chronic hepatitis C.

 

Hepatitis C can be detected through a blood test as early as 10-15 weeks after exposure. It can take as long as six months to show on a test, however. The blood test for hepatitis C looks for anti-HCV antibodies.

 

A blood sample for a hepatitis test is typically drawn in a doctor’s office by either a doctor or a nurse. The blood sample will be sent to a lab for analysis, and the results are returned to the doctor for interpretation.