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Chronic hepatitis C is defined as infection with the hepatitis C virus persisting for more than six months based on the presence of its RNA. [18] Chronic infections are typically asymptomatic during the first few decades, [ 18 ] and thus are most commonly discovered following the investigation of elevated liver enzyme levels or during a routine ...
Unlike hepatitis B, most cases of hepatitis C lead to chronic infection. [32] Hepatitis C is the second most common cause of cirrhosis in the US (second to alcoholic hepatitis). [33] In the 1970s and 1980s, blood transfusions were a major factor in spreading hepatitis C virus. [32]
The categories of tests include: general laboratory tests and disease-specific tests such as for hepatitis B and C, HIV, HPV, malaria, syphilis and tuberculosis. [ 1 ] [ 8 ] The third edition added a "Do Not Do" recommendation, for tests deemed no longer useful. [ 2 ]
Hepascore is a blood test developed in Australia combining the following clinical and laboratory variables: age, gender, bilirubin, GGT, hyaluronic acid, alpha 2 macroglobin to create a score. The test has been validated for patients with hepatitis B, [24] hepatitis C [25] and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. [26]
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) [3] is a small (55–65 nm in size), enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae. The hepatitis C virus is the cause of hepatitis C and some cancers such as liver cancer ( hepatocellular carcinoma , abbreviated HCC) and lymphomas in humans.
In the past nucleic acid tests have mainly been used as a secondary test to confirm positive serological results. [3] However, as they become cheaper and more automated, they are increasingly becoming the primary tool for diagnostics and can also be use for monitoring of treatment of viral infected individuals t.
In acute viral hepatitis, the GGT levels can peak at 2nd and 3rd week of illness, and remained elevated at 6 weeks of illness. GGT is also elevated in 30% of the hepatitis C patients. GGT can increase by 10 times in alcoholism. GGT can increase by 2 to 3 times in 50% of the patients with non-alcoholic liver disease.
The FibroTest score is calculated from the results of a six-parameter blood test, combining six serum markers with the age and gender of the patient: Alpha-2-macroglobulin, Haptoglobin, Apolipoprotein A1, Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), Total bilirubin, and Alanine transaminase (ALT). ALT is used in a second assessment called ActiTest that ...