Contents:
- Medical Video: Hepatitis B - Treatment and Consequences | Steven-Huy Han, MD | UCLA Digestive Diseases
- What is viral load?
- When is a viral load test needed?
- Who should do a viral load test?
- What is the meaning of negative or "undetectable"?
- What does "positive" viral load test mean?
Medical Video: Hepatitis B - Treatment and Consequences | Steven-Huy Han, MD | UCLA Digestive Diseases
If you are on treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the doctor monitors your viral load through a viral load test. Viral load is the number of certain viruses in the blood. Here's a further explanation about viral load hepatitis.
What is viral load?
Viral load hepatitis is the number of hepatitis virus particles that float in per 1 ml / 1cc blood volume. A number of virus particles are copies of viral genetic material that circulates throughout the body. The amount of virus in the blood can vary between each infected person, but this is not a prognostic indicator that helps and does not measure the severity of liver disease due to a virus. Viral load tests can be used to monitor the success rate of hepatitis treatment and guide health care decisions in the future.
When is a viral load test needed?
Once you start treatment, the doctor will recommend a follow-up test to evaluate the treatment currently underway. In addition, there is no need to retest because viral load does not provide information about symptoms and function of the liver. Other liver tests, such as biopsies, can provide this information.
Who should do a viral load test?
Some groups are more vulnerable to infection with HCV, for example:
- Dialysis patients (dialysis)
- Children born to HCV positive mothers
- People who may have been exposed to blood contact of someone infected with hepatitis C
What is the meaning of negative or "undetectable"?
Viral load can produce results from "undetectable" to hundreds of millions. The term "undetectable" sometimes has a different meaning from the term "negative," depending on the test used. If you are "negative," there may not be a hepatitis C virus in your blood. However, there may also be a hepatitis C virus in your blood, but the amount of the virus is lower than the test detection limit, so it is called "undetectable." The doctor can tell what test is used and explain its meaning to you. In fact, a viral load of less than 615 IU / L (international units per liter) means that no hepatitis C virus is detected, or the amount is too low to be detected. In addition, a viral load of more than 800,000 IU / L was considered high and less than 800,000 IU / L was considered low.
What does "positive" viral load test mean?
If the results of your HCV RNA quantitative test are positive, and the lab successfully determines the amount of virus in your blood, it is important to note not only the number of viruses but also the units that accompany them. In some other infections, the higher the viral load, the more severe your illness, but this does not apply to hepatitis C. Viral load in hepatitis C has no bearing on the severity of your illness. However, viral load shows how effective your treatment is. The lower your viral load, the higher the chances of your treatment being successful. Viral load is based on technology that makes it possible to measure the smallest amount of hepatitis C virus RNA, the virus-forming part. Different laboratories can use different standards to calculate HCV RNA copies. Consult your doctor to find out exactly the meaning of your test results. Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
