Hepatitis panel

A hepatitis panel is a group of blood tests that checks whether you have a viral hepatitis infection now or if you have had one in the past. Hepatitis is a type of liver disease that causes inflammation (swelling) and damage to the liver. Most cases of hepatitis are caused by one of three viruses called hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. A hepatitis panel checks for signs of all three viruses using a single blood sample.

Hepatitis viruses spread in a variety of ways. They also affect your health in a number of ways:

• Hepatitis A is usually spread by eating or drinking foods or drinks that an infected person has handled without washing their hands. This may result in the ingestion of small amounts of the virus found in the stool (poop) of an infected person. You can also get hepatitis A through close physical contact with an infected person, for example, through sexual intercourse or by caring for someone who is sick with the virus.
  
  Most people recover from hepatitis A on their own without any lasting liver damage. There is no medication that cures the infection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to get vaccinated.
  
  
• Hepatitis B spreads primarily when blood, sperm, or other body fluids from an infected person enters the body of someone who is not infected. For example, you can get a hepatitis B infection if you have sex with someone who is infected or if you share needles or other objects to inject drugs. If you are pregnant and have hepatitis B, you can pass it on to your baby during pregnancy or at birth.
  
  Most adults recover from hepatitis B on their own without any lasting liver damage. But some people develop a chronic (long-term) infection that doesn't go away. This can lead to chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Infants and children who are infected up to 5 years of age have a high risk of developing a chronic infection.
  
  There is no cure for hepatitis B. Treatment can help delay or reduce the risk of developing liver cancer. The best way to prevent hepatitis B is to get vaccinated.
  
  
• Hepatitis C spreads when blood from an infected person enters the body of someone who is not infected. Most people get hepatitis C by sharing needles or other objects that are used to inject drugs. Hepatitis C can also be spread through sexual contact with an infected person. The virus can be transmitted to the fetus during pregnancy, but this is less common.
  
  Most people who get hepatitis C will develop a chronic infection, but medications can cure hepatitis C. Without treatment, chronic hepatitis C can cause serious liver problems, including cirrhosis or liver cancer. There is no vaccine against hepatitis C.
  

The symptoms of hepatitis infections can range from mild to severe. Many people don't even know they're infected. Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have hepatitis.

Other names: acute hepatitis panel, viral hepatitis panel, hepatitis screening panel

A hepatitis panel is used to determine if you currently have an active hepatitis A or B infection or if you have had one in the past. It is also used to find out if you have already been infected with hepatitis C. But the test cannot tell the difference between an active hepatitis C infection that you currently have and a past infection that has been resolved.

If a hepatitis panel shows that you may have hepatitis, you will usually need further tests to confirm the diagnosis and to determine whether your infection is acute (sudden) or chronic (long-term).

You may need a hepatitis panel if you have symptoms of hepatitis. Hepatitis doesn't always cause symptoms, but when it does, symptoms may include:

• Jaundice, a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Appetite loss
• Dark colored urine
• Pale or clay-colored stools (poop)
• Abdominal pain (belly)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Joint pain
• Diarrhea (hepatitis A only)

Your health care provider may also request a hepatitis panel if you have had liver function tests with abnormal results. If you have been exposed or think you have been exposed to a specific hepatitis virus, your provider will likely order a different test that only checks for that virus.

You do not need special preparations for a hepatitis panel.

There is very little risk in taking a blood test. You may feel a slight pain or bruise where the needle was inserted, but most symptoms go away quickly.

Different laboratories report hepatitis panel results in different ways, so it's best to ask your provider what your test results mean.

In general:

• A negative or normal result means you probably don't have a hepatitis infection. But if you know you've been exposed to hepatitis, you may need to be tested again later.
• A positive or abnormal result can mean:
  • You have an active hepatitis infection now. It can be an acute infection or an infection that you have had for a long time.
  • You had a hepatitis infection in the past that went away.

If your test results are abnormal, you will likely need more tests to determine if you have an active infection and whether it is an acute or chronic infection.

An abnormal test result means that signs of hepatitis A, B, or C have been found in your blood. These signs include:

• Hepatitis antigens, which are substances in the hepatitis virus that trigger your immune system to fight the virus. If you have hepatitis antigens in your blood, it means you could have an active hepatitis infection. It could be an acute or chronic infection.
• Hepatitis antibodies, which are proteins that your immune system produces to help fight a hepatitis infection. If you have hepatitis antibodies in your blood, it may mean that you have an acute or chronic infection or that you have had an infection in the past. Some antibodies against hepatitis A or B are a sign that you have been vaccinated and that you are immune to these infections.

If you have questions about your results, talk to your provider.

Learn more about lab tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.

Medical experts recommend that some people be tested for hepatitis B and/or C using other blood tests that look for only one type of virus at a time. These recommendations suggest testing:

• All adults aged 18 and over at least once in their lifetime.
• During each pregnancy. Routine antenatal tests generally include a hepatitis B test.
• People who are at increased risk of getting hepatitis B or C. There are many factors that can increase your risk, for example:
  • Work in certain jobs, such as health care
  • Inject illegal drugs
  • Your age
  • Some medical conditions or treatments you may have had

Ask your provider if you need to be tested for hepatitis B and/or C and how often you should be retested.

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