HCV RNA tes results

[JDB630]

Hello

I just got a call from my doctor this morning and he read to me the results of my HCV RNA test. He is a general practioner and he did not know how to interpret the results. If anyone could tell me what the below results mean I would greatly appreciate it.

Patients ratio is LESS THAN 43 IU/ML

Patient has a ratio of LESS THAN 1 TO 63

That was all he read to me and said that is all the info the lab gave him. Just wondering what this all means. I though the test would say positive or negative but I guess it's not that simple.

[JDB630]

Thank you very much for all your insight this morning Bill I really appreciate it. You have made me feel a little better for the time being. I will let you know how I make out at my Dr's appointment this week.

[Bill1954]

Without knowing exactly what causes false positives on HCV antibody tests, I do know they happen frequently. That test is designed to screen large groups of people in a cost effective manner, and rely heavily on follow up confirmation by other methods.

The signal to cut-off ratio of 1.26 is in itself a comforting figure; again, it’s very unlikely you are infected. In fact, it’s unlikely you were ever exposed, based on the antibody result. Good luck, and lt us know how things go, if you get the chance--

Bill

[JDB630]

Thanks for your help.

Do you think those two first tests that I tested reactive on could be "false positives". What would make test throw up a reactive response if not infected?

I am going to see a gastro with a specialty in hepatology next week to get some final conformation.

[Bill1954]

An enthusiastic but still slightly guarded congratulations to you; the combination of low liver enzymes, low signal to cutoff ratio, and the “LESS THAN 43 IU/ML” language all point to lack of infection. Your doctor will have to confirm, but it is very unlikely you are infected—

Bill

[desrt]

If it was a quantative viral load test it means 'undetectable' as in no virus detected. A qualatative <43 / <63 might still mean detectable, but you normally wouldn't see that unless you were currently being treated.

[JDB630]

Hey there,

Thank you for your quick response.

I went to get my yearly physical and HIV / HEP B/ HEP C tests and a full blood panel. Everything came back great except for the HEP C test. The HEP C test I took came back saying:
"Patients sample tests REACTIVE with a low s/co ratio of 1.25"

So the doctor said I should re-test for HEP C and I requested the HCV RNA test as well. The same test I took last time came back again and said:
"Patients sample tests REACTIVE with a low s/co ratio of 1.26"

Then he called me this morning and told me what the results were for the HCV RNA test and read me the results that I posted above.

My liver values are a well within the normal range and are as follows:
AST - 21 U/L
ALT 54 U/L

He said these were the two most important to look at and if I had acute hep c that those values would be in the 200's. That is why we re-tested cause he could not understand why I was REACTIVE but my liver values were in the normal range. Very confused at this point.

JDB

[FlGuy]

If expressed as 1.63 instead of '1 to 63', the 1.63 is about the log equivalent of 43 which is the lower limit of detectin of the test.  Just a guess....

[Bill1954]

HI there,

I’m unfamiliar with the term ‘ratio’ in HCV testing like this, however, any viral load result less than 43 IU/mL is probably analogous to a negative result. Can you tell us more about how or why this test was taken? Was there any other language attached to this sentence? Preliminarily, this is a very good result--

Bill