Description

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver and can cause both short-term and long-term illness. It's spread through contact with infected blood, which can happen in a number of ways, including: 

  • Sharing needles or syringes 
  • Unsafe medical procedures, such as blood transfusions with unscreened blood products 
  • Unsafe sex has low risk of transmission 
  • Getting an unregulated tattoo or body piercing 

Symptoms of hepatitis C include:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dark urine
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)

A Hepatitis C (HCV) reflex PCR is a diagnostic test that uses a combination of screening and confirmatory tests to help diagnose a recent or chronic HCV infection.

Fasting not required.