Category

SEROLOGY/ IMMUNOLOGY

Sub Category

INFECTIOUS.

Synonyms/Aliases

HCV ANTIBODY.

Abbreviations

ANTI-HCV TOTAL.

Type

INDIVIDUAL TEST.

5 DAYS

5 WORKING DAYS.

Method

IMMUNOASSAY.

Temp

AMBIENT (8 HOURS), REFRIGERATED (7 DAYS), FROZEN (14 DAYS).

Setup

BATCHED.

Components Parameters

N/A

PRE-ANALYTIC CONSIDERATIONS

Test Ordering Instructions

FILL OUT TEST REQUEST FORM FULLY & LEGIBLY.

Patient preparation

N/A

Sample type

SERUM.

Container/ preservative

SERUM SEPARATOR TUBE (SST/ GEL) OR PLAIN (RED TOP) VACUTAINER.

Sample volume

2 ML.

Rejection criteria

LABELING ISSUE (UNLABELED/ MISLABELED); MISSING REQUEST FORM; MISMATCH BETWEEN REQUEST FORM & SAMPLE DETAILS; MISSING AGE/ GENDER; WRONG SAMPLE TYPE; INSUFFICIENT SAMPLE; HEMOLYZED, LIPEMIC, ICTERIC SAMPLES.

Other Instructions

CENTRIFUGE SST (SERUM GEL TUBES) WITHIN 1-2 HOURS OF COLLECTION. CENTRIFUGE RED TOP VACUTAINERS AND ALIQUOT SERUM WITHIN 1-2 HOURS OF COLLECTION. THE SEPARATION VIAL MUST BE LABELED WITH AT LEAST 2 PATIENT IDENTIFIERS AND THE SAMPLE TYPE.

Reference intervals

NEGATIVE.

Clinical Utility

SCREENING FOR HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) INFECTION. A PERSISTENTLY POSITIVE RESULT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED UP BY HCV PCR TESTING.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

ANTI-HCV USUALLY REMAINS POSITIVE FOR LIFE THEREFORE POSITIVITY DOES NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RECENT VS. CHRONIC VS. RESOLVED INFECTION. FOR THIS DISTINCTION, HCV RNA/ NUCLEIC ACID TESTING IS REQUIRED AS A FOLLOW UP TEST. FALSE POSITIVE ANTI-HCV RESULTS CAN ALSO OCCUR.