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Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test

Also referred as

Anti-HCV

HCV-Ab card test

HCV Antibody-Immunochromatography

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The Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test is a rapid card based test which detects the presence of antibodies against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in blood. It is indicated for initial screening of HCV and as an aid in diagnosis of individuals with symptoms of HCV infection or those at high risk.

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Understanding Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test

Hepatitis C is a viral infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that affects your liver. The common symptoms of a recent HCV infection include fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice (yellowing of skin and the whites of the eyes). This infection spreads when you come into contact with an infected person's blood, or body fluids. It can also spread through sexual contact, sharing needles, syringes, or any drug-injection equipment, transfusion of infected blood, or from a mother to the child during birth.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an HCV Antibody test for people who are at an increased risk of this infection, have come in contact with an already infected person, or show any of the symptoms of an HCV infection. However, about 80% of the infected individuals do not exhibit any symptoms after the initial infection.

The Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test test is only an initial screening test for detecting HCV antibodies. If this test is positive, more specific tests like HCV RNA, should be performed to confirm HCV infection. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recommends using these supplemental tests (like HCV RNA) to distinguish between true and false positives. If both the initial test and the confirmatory test are positive, it indicates an active HCV infection. A negative result generally means there is no infection, but it does not preclude the possibility of HCV infection especially in individuals with weak immune systems. Early diagnosis can prevent health problems resulting from the infection and further virus transmission. The test also helps distinguish HCV infection from other forms of hepatitis.

Usually, no special preparation is needed for this test. You may eat and drink as per your daily routine. Talk to your doctor about your specific test results. Narrate your complete medical history to help them correlate your clinical and laboratory findings. The test results will help the doctor determine your medical condition and formulate your treatment plan.

What does Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test measure?

An Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test test determines if HCV has infected you and helps your doctor guide your treatment. This is a rapid card based immunochromatographic test which is used for screening purposes only. A reactive result needs to be confirmed by other more specific NAT/ nucleic acid tests before final diagnosis.

HCV causes liver inflammation and is classified into acute hepatitis infection and chronic hepatitis infection.

Acute hepatitis C: This occurs in the first six months after exposure to the hepatitis C virus. In the early stage of the infection, acute hepatitis C is mild and may cause no symptoms. For this reason, most people do not know they have this infection.
Chronic hepatitis C: If your body cannot fight off the virus, you can develop a chronic hepatitis C infection. Progression from acute to chronic hepatitis C is common, occurring in 75-85% of patients. Detecting chronic hepatitis C early is important to prevent future complications, such as liver failure, and initiate effective treatment.

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FAQs related to Hepatitis C Antibody (HCV), Rapid Screening Test

What is the full form of HCV?

The full form of HCV is the Hepatitis C Virus.

What is an Anti-HCV test?

An Anti-HCV test is another name for an HCV antibody test that checks the presence of hepatitis C antibodies (blood protein produced in response to HCV antigen) in the body.

What are the commonly used hepatitis C tests?

Hepatitis C is diagnosed by two types of blood tests, namely an antibody test that detects hepatitis C antibodies in the blood and a polymerase chain reaction test that detects RNA (genetic material) of hepatitis C in the blood.

What are the early symptoms of a hepatitis C infection?

Most people do not show symptoms during the initial stages of hepatitis C infection. However, few people may experience symptoms like fever, fatigue, body pain, loss of appetite, stomach pain, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, and the yellowing of the white portion of the eyes and skin.

Is there a vaccine for hepatitis C?

Currently, there is no effective vaccine to prevent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Can hepatitis C be spread through food or water?

No, hepatitis C virus does not spread through food or water, by sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, handholding, coughing, or sneezing.

How is hepatitis C infection transmitted?

Hepatitis C infection can be transmitted through contact with infected blood and body fluids. This can happen during unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner, from an infected mother to her unborn baby during birth, due to transfusion with infected blood, while sharing needles, syringes, or drug preparation equipment, by sharing items such as toothbrushes or razors, due to direct contact with blood or open wounds of an infected person, and during body piercing and tattooing.

What does a positive HCV Antibody test result mean?

A positive HCV Antibody test indicates the presence of hepatitis C infection in the blood.

What are the additional tests required if the result of hepatitis C virus antibody test is positive?

If the result of the HCV antibody is reactive, it may indicate either a current HCV infection or past HCV infection that has resolved or it may even suggest biologic false positive for HCV antibody. For confirmation, your doctor may recommend a hepatitis C RNA test. This is a blood test that looks for genetic evidence of the virus. Another test, called viral genotyping, helps find out what kind of HCV infection you have and what type of treatment may be needed. In some cases, you may also need a liver biopsy to look for liver damage associated with HCV.

Content created by

Dr. Anupriya Nautiyal

MD Pathology, MBBS

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Last Updated

6th Oct 2025