Diagnosing Hepatitis

Often, even in more advanced stages, hepatitis has no symptoms. Because of this, and because there are chemical and biological markers to indicate how the liver is functioning, a diagnosis of hepatitis is made on the basis of several tests. While some of the same tests are used in hepatitis A, B, and C, more tests are usually done to test for hepatitis B and C. Once you become infected with the hepatitis virus, you can transmit the disease to others in as little as 2 weeks after you've been infected. That's why it's important to get tested if you think you may have been exposed to the virus and to encourage your friends and family to get tested if you have the disease.

Choose a topic:

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 test (ELISA). An antibody is a type of immune protein molecule that is produced when bacteria or viruses enter 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.

4 of 5





Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Important Safety Information












What to Expect at the Doctor
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Diagnosing Hepatitis

Pre-Visit Checklist