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Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver and can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. The hepatitis C virus spreads primarily through contact with infected blood, most commonly through sharing needles or other drug injection equipment. Healthcare workers may also be at risk through accidental needle stick injuries. Less commonly, the virus can spread through sharing personal items like razors or toothbrushes that may have traces of infected blood, or from mother to child during childbirth. Sexual transmission is possible but relatively rare.

Many people with hepatitis C do not experience symptoms in the early stages of infection, which is why laboratory testing is essential for diagnosis. When symptoms do occur, they may include fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin and eyes. Because these symptoms can be vague or mistaken for other conditions, blood tests are the only reliable way to confirm hepatitis C infection.

Laboratory testing for hepatitis C typically begins with a screening test called the hepatitis C antibody test, which detects antibodies your immune system produces in response to the virus. If this test is positive, a follow-up test called the HCV RNA test is performed to determine if the virus is currently active in your body. Additional tests may include liver function tests to assess how well your liver is working and genotyping tests to identify the specific strain of the virus, which helps guide treatment decisions. In some cases, imaging studies or liver biopsies may be recommended to evaluate the extent of liver damage.

Early detection through laboratory testing is crucial because hepatitis C is now highly treatable with antiviral medications that can cure the infection in most cases. Without treatment, chronic hepatitis C can lead to serious complications including liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. People at higher risk, including those who have injected drugs, received blood transfusions before 1992, are on long-term hemodialysis, have HIV, or were born to mothers with hepatitis C, should discuss screening with their healthcare provider. Regular monitoring through blood tests is also important for those diagnosed with hepatitis C to track treatment response and liver health.