NATURAL HEALTH

Your health care provider will interview you about your illness. You will be asked about your symptoms and about any exposures to hepatitis viruses.

If your doctor determines that you may be at risk for contracting hepatitis, you will have blood drawn. The laboratory will be able to determine whether you have been exposed to HCV and certain other hepatitis viruses.

• Several tests are available for this, but the most widely used test detects antibodies to these viruses. Antibodies are substances made by your body's immune system to defend against a specific infection. You won't have the antibody unless you have been infected with HCV unless the test was performed so soon after exposure that your immune system did not have time to make the antibody.
• Tests are also available to identify which of the 6 known strains (genotypes) of the virus is causing the infection. This can help determine the best treatment plan.

The laboratory will also do several tests to determine how well your liver is functioning.

• Other tests will probably be done to check the effects of the infection on other body systems, such as the kidneys.
• If you have had a large amount of vomiting or have not been able to take in liquids, your blood electrolytes will be checked to see if they are in balance.

Liver biopsy is the ultimate test in hepatitis C. It is not necessary for diagnosis but gives useful information about the stage of disease (the amount of liver damage that has already occurred).