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The mainstay in diagnosing infection with HCV is to initially screen high risk groups for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). The inclusion of serum to cut-off ratio (S/CO) in recent guidelines is helpful in deciding the supplemental assay to be used to confirm initially reactive screening results.
Therefore, the range of clinically observed HCV RNA concentrations in serum is rarely below the lower range of the limit of quantification of quantitative assays, and most NAT assays (quantitative or qualitative) will capture the majority of viraemic infections as well as treatment failures.
14 lip 2021 · After an acute HCV infection, HCV RNA could be detectable in serum within 2 weeks following exposure. On the other hand, anti-HCV could take about 8-12 weeks before results are positive. Both...
The lower limit of detection is typically 1 to 2 logs higher for DBS methods than for standard HCV RNA tests that use serum or plasma. This reduced sensitivity could negatively affect HCV RNA detection during the early stage of infection when HCV viral load can fluctuate widely.
15 sie 2019 · The quantitative HCV RNA test is checked before a patient starts treatment. For each patient, the result can be described as either a "high" viral load, which is usually >800,000 IU/L, or a "low" viral load, which is usually <800,000 IU/L.
A HCV RNA level below 25 IU/mL in serum or plasma 12 weeks after ending therapy is the therapeutic goal and indicates an SVR is achieved. Quantitative HCV RNA testing can be considered at the end of therapy and at 24 weeks or later after completion of antiviral therapy.
Since 2013, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all specimens that are HCV antibody reactive should be tested using a NAT to detect HCV RNA in order to confirm current HCV infection.
