Home test for hepatitis C virus

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Home test for hepatitis C virus

You may prefer to find out on your own whether you have been infected with the hepatitis C virus.

You can buy a home test called a Home Access Hepatitis C Check kit, which you can find in most drugstores. The kit contains a sharp instrument (lancet) that you use to draw a small amount of blood from your fingertip.

You place the sample on a piece of collection paper and mail it in a prepaid envelope to a lab for testing. After 10 days, you can call a toll-free number and receive your results using your confidential identification number.

If the test result is positive, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your result. The home test only looks for hepatitis C antibodies, which indicate that you have been exposed to the virus in the past. The test does not tell you if you currently have an infection. Your doctor can order a genetic test to find out if you currently are infected with the virus and also to help determine how much liver damage you have and whether you may want to try antiviral medicines.

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Author	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology
Last Updated	August 27, 2007

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Last updated:	August 27, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC

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