ANTI HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) TOTAL ANTIBODY

OD Ratio

• Negative : ≤ 0.90
• Equivocal : 0.91-1.10
• Positive : ≥ 1.11

• Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that causes an infection of the liver marked by liver inflammation and damage. HCV is spread when contaminated blood enters the body, primarily through sharing needles and syringes .The biochemical changes occurring in the Hepatitis C infected persons are increased levels of serum transaminases. It is also called as parenterally transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis or HCV
• Onset is insidious, with anorexia, vague abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting progressing to jaundice
• Severity ranges from unapparent cases is approximately 90% of infection to rare fulminating fatal cases, chronic liver diseases with fluctuating or persistently elevated liver enzyme is common.
• Of those with chronic liver diseases, 30-60% may develop chronic active hepatitis and 5%-20% may develop cirrhosis. Chronic infection is often not symptomatic.
• There is an association between HCV infection and hepato cellular carcinoma. Of these chronically infected people approximately 50% will develop cirrhosis or cancer of the liver.

• When there is s/s of acute hepatitis
• When there is s/s of chronic hepatitis
• When there is s/s of liver carcinoma
• In new born babies-When mother is having hepatitis c infection