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PCR Tests
PCR tests for hepatitis C cause the viral DNA to replicate again and again until it can be detected from a blood sample. Supersensitive "qualitative" PCR tests, which can detect minute amounts of hepatitis C, are either positive or negative. "Quantitative" PCR tests are less sensitive but provide a sense of how much virus is present—the "viral load." Some 15 percent of people infected with hepatitis C clear the virus from their body without treatment. They may have a positive hepatitis C antibody test but negative PCR tests. These people do not require treatment. It is important to recognize that because hepatitis C has several strains, the presence of a hepatitis C antibody does not indicate immunity. If a person is found to have a positive PCR test, further testing to identify the strain of virus may be necessary in order to decide on the best course of treatment.
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