Hepatitis A Virus Test: Why It Is Done

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Why It Is Done

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Hepatitis virus testing is done to:

Identify the type of hepatitis virus causing a hepatitis infection.
Screen people (such as doctors, dentists, and nurses) who have an increased chance of getting or spreading hepatitis A.
Screen potential blood donors and donor organs to prevent the spread of hepatitis A.
Find out whether a person has antibodies after getting a hepatitis A vaccine. If you had this vaccine and you now have antibodies to the hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV antibodies) in your blood, this means the vaccination was effective (you are immune to hepatitis A).
Find out if a hepatitis A infection is the cause of abnormal liver function tests.

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Last updated:	September 09, 2008
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, Tracy Landauer

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