hepatitis-testing
Reviewed
Hepatitis testing uses a sample of your blood to see if you have a current viral hepatitis infection or had one in the past. Hepatitis is a type of liver disease that causes liver inflammation (swelling) and damage. There are several types of hepatitis. Each affects the body and is spread in different ways.
Preparation and collection
You don't need any special preparations for hepatitis testing.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- A positive result does not always mean you have a current infection; it may indicate a past infection that has resolved.
- For hepatitis C, the test cannot distinguish between an active infection and a past infection that has cleared.
- If you have hepatitis antigens in your blood, it may mean you have an active infection (acute or chronic). If you have hepatitis antibodies, it may mean you have an acute or chronic infection or had an infection in the past.
- If left untreated, a chronic hepatitis infection can lead to serious liver problems such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
What to do next
If your test results are abnormal, you will likely need other tests to find out if you have an active infection and whether it is an acute or chronic infection. Talk with your provider about what your results mean and any follow-up testing that may be needed.