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Testing for Hepatitis
There are specific tests your doctor can do to identify viral hepatitis A, B,
and C. Blood banks also screen donated blood for hepatitis A, B, and C, and notify
you if you have tested positive.
- The hepatitis A test, if positive,
indicates a recent infection, or immunity to the virus due to a previous infection.
- The tests
for hepatitis B (there are several) can identify whether you
are infected, if you are recovering from the disease, if you have
a chronic infection, or if you are resistant to hepatitis B.
- The tests
for hepatitis C can show if you are infected with the virus
or if you were infected in the past.
If you test positive for hepatitis B or C, there is treatment available
for eligible patients, which may be helpful. If you think you may
be infected, be sure to consult your doctor immediately.
ALT Test
The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test measures levels
of alanine aminotransferase, a type of liver enzyme that is produced
in higher amounts when the liver is inflamed. High ALT levels can
be a sign of hepatitis. The test is also used to monitor the treatment
of hepatitis, to check the progression or regression of the disease,
or to see if a treatment is working.
Tests for Hepatitis B
For hepatitis B, the most common test measures the hepatitis
B surface antigen (HBsAg), a small piece of the virus’s outer coat
that acts like a "red flag," signaling that the virus
is in the blood. If you are feeling quite ill, and you have a positive
HBsAg test, your infection may be new and active.
If you are not feeling badly at all, it may be that you have had
the disease for a while and it has become chronic. Your doctor has
other tests, such as:
- Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)
- Hepatitis B core antibody-IgM
(anti-HBc-IgM)
- Hepatitis B core antibody-IgG
(anti-HBc-IgG)
- Hepatitis B e antibody test (anti-HBeAg)
- Hepatitis B surface antigen antibody
(anti-HBsAg)
- HBV-DNA test
These tests will help determine if the infection is old or new,
whether the body is still successfully fighting it off or if treatment
is needed, and if you are still infectious to other people.
Tests for Hepatitis C
For hepatitis C, blood is tested for antibodies to the hepatitis
C virus using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An
antibody is a type of immune protein molecule that is produced when
a virus enters the body. A specific antibody is manufactured against
each invader. If antibodies to hepatitis C are found in your blood,
you are probably still infected with hepatitis C.
Your doctor may also perform the recombinant immunoblot assay test
(RIBA), which is another way of measuring the presence of various
antibodies to hepatitis C in the blood, or a polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) test may be administered that tells how much virus is in your
blood. (The PCR test for HCV is called the HCV-RNA test.) These
tests are often used to confirm diagnosis or to see if treatment
has worked.
Liver Biopsy
Another common test used to diagnose hepatitis is the liver
biopsy, in which a small piece of liver is removed (too tiny to
affect how your liver works) and examined under a microscope. Many
doctors do a liver biopsy whenever a patient has a high ALT, suggesting
the liver is inflamed, to help them confirm what exactly is causing
this problem and how serious it is.
Your doctor has other tests available, too. Don’t be afraid to ask
what tests he or she has done, what other tests are available, and
what the tests may tell you about your condition.
If you have just learned that you have hepatitis, consider asking
your doctor about the amount of the virus in your blood, and what
this viral level means for treatment. For more information to help
you communicate with your doctor about hepatitis and how you will
be treated, see the section, Partnering
with Your Doctor.
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