What is the HCV RNA PCR test?
The HCV RNA PCR is a blood test used to diagnose HCV and measure the level of HCV in the blood.
The HCV RNA PCR test is a blood test that looks for the genetic material of the hepatitis C virus, also called its RNA, and uses a process called a polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Its name comes from the abbreviations for what it tests for and the process used:
- HCV — hepatitis C virus
- RNA — ribonucleic acid
- PCR — polymerase chain reaction
A doctor may recommend different ways of reducing the amount of virus in the body, otherwise known as the viral load, depending on the results of the HCV RNA PCR test.
HCV RNA PCR tests are often given early on, as they can detect the virus itself rather than antibodies to it that the body creates. This means people do not have to wait until their body begins to fight the infection to be diagnosed.
While it can take an average of 6 to 8 weeks after a hepatitis C infection for antibodies to be detected, it may only take 1 week to detect the virus directly by using PCR or other means of direct virus detection.
The test is also checked multiple times during treatments for chronic hepatitis C. This repetition allows doctors to measure any response the body is having to a particular method of treatment.
