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potential false positive hep c antibody test-please help
I just received a positive hep c antibody test. The cut-off was <1.00 and my result was 1.04. I am extremely worried and have taken a quantitative pcr w/rfx test, I'm awaiting the results. My liver enzymes were also elevated (which makes my doc think it is not a false positive) My AST enzymes were at 147 with the range at 10-30. I have read that lifting weights can cause this to rise, and I did lift weights 3 days prior to this test when I hadn't before. Any input on my results? I am going crazy over this. I am a young mom with two boys and ZERO risk factors other than one incident that I will explain below. My doctor told me not to kiss my kids and to use a different toilet which is making me so much worse. The only potential risk factor (which is why I got tested in the first place) was because a vascular surgeon I was going to was injecting the varicose veins on my legs with a needle (called sclerotherapy), accidentally pricked his own finger through his glove, and continued using that needle on me. I am going out of my mind. Any input is sooooo appreciated. Thank you!
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Thank you. I am, I don't know why he would tell me that. Everything I read about says that it transmitted only through blood. I am wracking my brain trying to think if I've bled on nail clippers they've used, or if they've ever used my toothbrush.Thank you.
I am not really sure how this website works, I thought I was replying to individual responses, but I guess you are all seeing it. Thank you all for taking the time to respond to me, I really appreciate it. I am not handling this very well considering I have no risk factors and the only exposure is from my vascular surgeon who pricked his own finger and then continued using the needle on me. I have read that needle stick injuries are a low transmission, like it was stated here, about 1% and if he has it that he probably got it that way sometime in his career. He has been practicing for 50 years, and I wonder if he had an accidental needle stick from a hep c patient sometime in his career, and doesn't know he has it. I don't know. I feel so mentally weak, I am not handling this well, but appreciate your support. I am waiting on the results.
Relax, wait for results. Yes there is treatment and insurance companies for the most pat cover Hepatitis C treatment. If not there is lots options to get treatment covered. Hepatitis C treatment is costly but lots of people get covered. I wouldn't get overly concerned about that part of all this. It sounds big but isn't in the big picture.
Let us know the results and go from there.
Let us know the results and go from there.
I just received a message from my doctor regarding the lab test I took. I haven't seen the numbers yet, he will send them to me after he calls me later.
The tests that were ordered are: hepatic function panel, and hepatitis C viral RNA, quantitative PCR w/RFX
His message said this exactly:
Good news
viral load is not being seen
Liver function test has gone down almost toward normal again (My AST was at 147, but I did lift heavy weights 3 days prior and was wondering if that was why it was elevated)
Don't see viral load
Not elevated
Not even present
Don't see any numbers above what's detectable in terms of that value
He still wants me to see a gastrointerologist to go over the numbers. I have an appt at the end of July, that was the earliest appt!
Does this mean my positive antibody test was false positive??? My cutoff ratio was <1.00 and my numbers were 1.04, so it was very low in the first place. I don't know if I should be relieved, but I feel relieved.
Thanks for any input!!!!
The tests that were ordered are: hepatic function panel, and hepatitis C viral RNA, quantitative PCR w/RFX
His message said this exactly:
Good news
viral load is not being seen
Liver function test has gone down almost toward normal again (My AST was at 147, but I did lift heavy weights 3 days prior and was wondering if that was why it was elevated)
Don't see viral load
Not elevated
Not even present
Don't see any numbers above what's detectable in terms of that value
He still wants me to see a gastrointerologist to go over the numbers. I have an appt at the end of July, that was the earliest appt!
Does this mean my positive antibody test was false positive??? My cutoff ratio was <1.00 and my numbers were 1.04, so it was very low in the first place. I don't know if I should be relieved, but I feel relieved.
Thanks for any input!!!!
If you don't have a viral load you don't have hepatitis C. People do test positive for Hepatitis C and clear the virus on their own. Otherwise, once you were exposed to hepatitis C but your body fought it off. This happens to 25 percent. It sounds like your doctor is ruling out Hepatitis C and referring you to a specialist for you AST value.
Often times the positive antibody test with a very low signal-to-ratio cutoff (yours was 1.04) means that you had a false positive. The signal-to-cutoff would be much higher had you been exposed and fought the virus off. In a false positive test, the body is reacting to something else and that is why the test is slightly positive, or, in other words, has a low signal-to-cutoff ratio. Congratulations, enjoy your negative status.
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Question 2. What do these test results mean: “<15 Detected” or “<15 Not Detected”?
A “<15 Detected” means the assay was able to detect HCV RNA but was not able to accurately quantitate the viral load. A “<15 Not Detected” means the assay did not detect HCV RNA (Target Not Detected).This test is performed using the COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® Taqman® HCV Test v2.0. The lowest viral load this assay can accurately quantify is 15 IU/mL, but the limit of detection is 10-13 IU/mL. Therefore, we can qualitatively report detection even if the viral load is under 15 IU/mL.
http://education.questdiagnostics.com/faq/FAQ22v1