Hepatitis C Virus Rna Quantitative

The viral load provides an accurate estimate of the level of HCV replication. Quantitation of HCV RNA level is important as it serves to be a prognostic marker of HCV infection and is used for establishing baseline levels in patients before initiation of the treatment. It is also useful for monitoring the treatment.

Those who are at high risk for contracting the hepatitis C virus are recommended screening for hepatitis C even when symptoms are not present.

Risk factors include having contact with needles at work (tattoo or piercings), receiving kidney dialysis, having a HIV infection, unprotected sexual intercourse with someone who is infected, injectable drug use and those who may have received an organ or blood transfusion before 1992 (screening of blood products began only after 1992 and hence those who received transfusion prior to 1992 are at risk).

The viral load test also helps determine if treatment is progressing well.

The Hepatitis C Virus RNA Quantitative test helps in measuring the amount of hepatitis C virus in the blood.

Other names: Hepatitis C Viral Load Test 

Hepatitis C is a viral disease that causes inflammation and enlargement of liver. Like other viruses, hepatitis C infection is also marked with symptoms like fever, dark colored stools, dark colored urine etc. The body fights Hepatitis C and most often the virus is quickly cleared from the body. In certain cases, Hepatitis C is present chronically for a long time leading to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Since there are no symptoms present, a person with infection is not aware of the disease.

HCV viral load is expressed as IU/ml. The lower limit of quantification of this assay is 34 IU/ml.

Not detected

Interpretation 

Values below 34 IU/ml does not exclude possibility of an infection. It may reflect a viral load below the detection limit of the assay. An increase or decrease in viral load of more than threefold may be considered significant. Follow up viral load values below the detectable limit may indicate resolution of the infection after therapy. Reappearance or increasing viral load may indicate relapse or resistance to the therapy. All the results should always be correlated with clinical status and history of the patient.