How do you diagnose Hepatitis C virus infection?
First you start with the Hepatitis C antibody test (HCV Ab, anti-HCV) to see if you’ve been exposed. Just because it comes back positive does not mean you have active Hep C. You then must get the Hepatitis C RNA, which tells if you are chronically infected. If your Hepatitis C antibody test comes back negative, you have not been infected and need no further tests.