Test Name HCVD Hepatitis C Antibody IgG
Additional Codes
Reflex Testing: Specimens with positive, weakly positive, or equivocal antibody results automatically reflex to a Hepatitis C Quantitative performed at Munson Medical Center.
Specimen Requirements
Preparation of Patient:
None
Container Type:
Gold Top SST Gel & Clot Activator Tube
Specimen Type:
Serum
Specimen Volume:
2.5 mL of Serum minimum 1.0 mL of Serum
Specimen Handling/Transport:
Separate serum from cells within 2 hours of collection.
Transport refrigerated 2-8°C.
Specimen Stability/Storage:
4 days ambient room temperature
5 days refrigerated 2-8°C
Specimen Rejection:
Gross hemolysis
Gross lipemia
Performing Laboratory
Munson Medical Center Laboratories
Priority, Frequency, & Turnaround
Priority:
Non-Emergent
Frequency:
Monday through Friday
Turnaround:
0-3 Days
Methodology
Indirect Chemiluminometric Immunoassay (CLIA)
Reporting
Reference Range:
Negative
Critical Decision:
None
Result Interpretation:
Reported as S/CO (signal to cut-off ratio) with a cut-off of 1.0
- S/CO <0.80 are considered NEGATIVE
- S/CO ≥1.0 are considered POSITIVE
- S/CO ≥0.80 and <1.0 are considered EQUIVOCAL and must be repeated in duplicate. If 2/3 results are <1.0, the test is NEGATIVE. If 2/3 are ≥1.0 the test is POSITIVE
CPT Code(s)
86803
G0472
Clinical Significance
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was identified in 1988 as a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, globally distributed. Patients infected with HCV are generally asymptomatic during the acute stage of the disease, however, the small proportion of people who get sick during the acute infection may exhibit symptom such as jaundice, pain in the upper right part of the abdomen, and nausea for up to 12 weeks. Testing people with known risk factors is recommended by both the WHO and the CDC. Approximately 70 - 80% of infected individuals develop chronic hepatitis and, may eventually, acquire liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver disease associated with chronic HCV infection is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver transplantation in the United States