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KEY POINTS
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Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is contagious and can be life-threatening.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a molecule that is in of the body’s cells. RNA carries information that tells cells to grow, divide, and die. The hepatitis C virus also contains RNA. The HCV RNA can bind to and enter the cells in your child’s body and make more of the virus RNA and virus protein. The HCV RNA test measures how much of the hepatitis C virus RNA is in your child’s blood. This is called the viral load.
The HCV RNA test is used to find out if your child currently has a hepatitis C infection, or if she had one in the past.
If a woman is pregnant and infected with HCV, the baby can be infected at birth. Testing for HCV RNA can be done at or after the infant’s first well-child visit at age 1 to 2 months.
This test may be done after your child has a positive HCV antibody test. The test may also be used to:
Usually no preparation is needed for this test.
Having this test will take just a few minutes. A small amount of blood is taken from a vein in your child’s arm with a needle. In younger children, this test can be done with a finger prick or heel stick. The blood is collected in tubes and sent to a lab.
Ask your child’s healthcare provider how and when you will get your child’s test results.
A high viral load usually means that the virus is active in your child’s body. A very low level of the hepatitis C virus means that your child’s treatment is working well. A separate test can help identify the type of HCV virus your child has.
Test results are only one part of a larger picture that takes into account your child’s medical history, physical exam, and current health. Sometimes a test needs to be repeated to check the first result. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about the result and ask questions such as: