Hepatitis Panel Acute With/reflex To Confirmation

Identifying Patterns Of Risky Behavior

Screening is an opportunity to draw attention to the clients behaviors that put him or her at risk for contracting :

• Ask for the clients perception of his or her risk for having contracted : How likely do you think it is that the test will be positive?
• Listen for and identify behaviors that put the client at risk for contracting , B, and C and HIV, especially unprotected sex and sharing injection drug paraphernalia.
• Assess the clients alcohol consumption.

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For Hepatitis B Testing

While testing for Hepatitis B, the hepatitis panel test includes a series of tests detecting hepatitis B surface antigen and IgM hepatitis B core antibodies. The hepatitis B surface antigens are discernable from 1-10 weeks after exposure before the appearance of the symptoms. They remain detectable for up to 6 months in people already recovered from acute infection. The IGM hepatitis B core antibodies are noticeable for up to 2 years after an acute infection, enduring flare-ups as well. If your doctor suspects chronic Hepatitis B, he may ask for follow-up testing to prepare a treatment plan.

What Happens During A Hepatitis Panel

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

At-home testing kits are available for hepatitis B and C. Usually the test kit will include a sharp device, to prick your finger so you can collect a drop of blood to send to a lab for testing. For more information on at-home testing for hepatitis, talk to your provider.

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Are Test Results Accurate

Although an acute viral hepatitis panel is a standard panel used to detect evidence of viral hepatitis, in many cases it provides only preliminary results. For patients who have abnormal results on the hepatitis B or C portions of this panel, additional testing is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

What Does The Test Result Mean

The table below summarizes results that may be seen with a hepatitis panel that is performed to detect an infection:

If other hepatitis tests are performed to help determine prior exposure or previous infection, they may indicate the following:

• Hepatitis A antibody, total if negative, no current or previous HAV infection if positive, indicates exposure to HAV or the HAV vaccine. An IgM test must be done if an acute infection is suspected.
• Hepatitis B core antibody, total a positive test can indicate exposure to the virus. An IgM test must be performed if an acute infection is suspected.
• Hepatitis B surface antibody if positive, it indicates that a HBV infection has resolved depending on results of other HBV tests, a negative result may indicate that an infection has not resolved. Hepatitis B surface antibody will also be positive with a negative hepatitis B core antibody after a person has received a hepatitis B vaccine.

It is possible to be infected with more than one hepatitis virus, and an acute infection with one hepatitis virus can be superimposed on a chronic infection with a different hepatitis virus. In such cases, there may be a positive result for more than one type of virus and care must be taken when interpreting the results.

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If I Have Viral Hepatitis Am I Contagious

You may be contagious it depends on which hepatitis virus you were infected with and the stage of your infection. Often, people with viral hepatitis can spread the infection even though they dont have symptoms. With hepatitis A, you may be contagious from the time you are infected and continue to be contagious, but less so, for several weeks after symptoms, such as jaundice, develop. A person with hepatitis B is contagious as long as the virus is present in their blood. Anyone who tests positive for the presence of hepatitis C virus should be considered contagious. The HCV RNA test may be performed as follow up to a positive result for anti-HCV.

Are These Tests Always Run As A Panel

No. Sometimes, if the particular hepatitis virus a person was exposed to is known, tests specific for that virus may be performed. Also, some of these tests are used for other purposes, such as monitoring the progression of disease or determining if treatment is working, and they may be run singly or in different combinations in those cases. For more about other tests used in viral hepatitis infections, see the individual articles on Hepatitis A Testing, Hepatitis B Testing, and Hepatitis C Testing.

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Scientific Tools And Resources

Interpretation of Hepatitis B Serologic Test Results

One page Summary Table describes the four most common tests used in hepatitis B serologic testing and provides guidance to interpret different patterns of test results.

Screening and Referral Algorithm for Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Pregnant Women

This is a clinical algorithm for screening and referral of pregnant women who are HBsAg-positive.

N/A=not available

*This CPT code corresponds only to the HBsAg screening component additional CPT codes might be associated with other component tests.

Notes: CDC recommends healthcare providers use prenatal HBsAg tests for pregnant women, which allows for reporting of positive results along with pregnancy status to public health jurisdictions. Refer all HBsAg positive pregnant women to Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program coordinators for case management of mother and infant: .

Laboratories reserve the right to add, modify, or stop performing tests at any time providers should review any test notifications from laboratories for changes.

Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel

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• Online or over the phone

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Hepatitis Blood Test Panel Acute

A Hepatitis Blood Test Panel includes: Hepatitis A antibody, IgM, hepatitis B core antibody, IgM, hepatitis B surface antigen, and hepatitis C antibody with reflex.

Also Known As: Acute Hepatitis Profile

Methodology:

No fasting required. Stop biotin consumption at least 72 hours prior to the collection.

Test Results:

2-3 days. May take longer based on weather, holiday or lab delays.

Also Known As: Acute Hepatitis Profile

Methodology:

No fasting required. Stop biotin consumption at least 72 hours prior to the collection.

Test Results:

2-3 days. May take longer based on weather, holiday or lab delays.

Can I Take The Test At Home

Although an acute viral hepatitis panel cannot be conducted at home, at-home test kits are available for some tests within this panel. These kits involve obtaining a blood sample by pricking a finger with a sharp object, called a lancet, and then sending it to a laboratory for testing.

At-home test options include:

• At-home hepatitis B testing: At-home hepatitis B testing looks for hepatitis B surface antigen.
• At-home hepatitis C testing: At-home hepatitis C testing detects hepatitis C antibodies and does not include hepatitis C RNA testing.

Several at-home hepatitis testing companies sell test panels that detect both hepatitis B and C. There is no at-home test available for hepatitis A. Testing for hepatitis A requires blood to be drawn by a health care professional.

Because hepatitis testing can involve many tests, testing for hepatitis at-home is not a substitute for care provided by a health care professional. Results of at-home tests may need to be confirmed through laboratory-based testing.

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How Much Does The Test Cost

Several factors affect the cost of an acute viral hepatitis panel, including where the test is conducted, if any other tests or procedures are being performed at the same time, and whether or not the patient has health insurance that covers testing.

In addition to the panel itself, costs may include technician fees for collecting a blood sample and an additional charge for the office visit. These costs may be covered by health insurance if the acute viral antibody test is prescribed by a doctor. Patients with health insurance may still be responsible for copays, deductibles, and other charges.

What Is The Test Used For

The main purpose or objective of the hepatitis panel test is to check your blood for the presence of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, some of the most common types of viral hepatitis infection. The panel testing can also help your doctor identify and diagnose early infections linked to hepatitis A and B and understand whether you have been infected with Hepatitis C at some point in your life.

The hepatitis panel also detects acute, or short-term infections with Hepatitis A or B and chronic infections with Hepatitis B. Chronic Hepatitis B occurs less frequently than acute hepatitis. Still, the effects can last for years and harm the liver. With time, chronic hepatitis can also lead to further complications like liver scarring , liver cancer, and liver failure.

This test is a combination of several tests against the measurement of antigens and antibodies. Antibodies are substances produced by your immune system in response to a viral infection, whereas antigens are foreign substances like the virus’s proteins. Hepatitis panel test looks for antigens or antibodies of Hepatitis A, B, and C.

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The Treatment Programs Role In The Screening Process

Medical staff members at substance abuse treatment programs might assume the primary role for screening individuals for and explaining the screening process and test results. Opioid treatment programs with medical staff members should screen for and C at intake and periodically as indicated. In programs without onsite medical staff, clients may be referred elsewhere for screening with minimal involvement of the substance abuse treatment program.

Regardless of the type of program, counselors should have a basic understanding of the importance of screening, the screening process, and the meaning of the results. Counselors can encourage clients referred for screening to follow through and complete the screening and evaluation process . Clients might feel anxious about being diagnosed with hepatitis, and they might delay or avoid getting screened.

What Other Laboratory Tests Might My Healthcare Practitioner Perform

In addition to tests for hepatitis viruses, your healthcare practitioner may choose to run tests to see how your liver has been affected. These may include a liver panel or individual liver enzyme tests such as aspartate aminotransferase , alanine aminotransferase , and alkaline phosphatase . Your healthcare practitioner may also run a test for bilirubin and a prothrombin time , which can help determine if there is liver damage.

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Counseling Practices That Educate Support And Motivate Clients Undergoing Screening

Clients might need help deciding whether to get screened, understanding the test results, and determining their next steps. Even when services offered through the substance abuse treatment program are limited, discussing testing with clients presents an opportunity for counselors to motivate clients for change by confronting substance use and by making choices that improve their overall health. However, this may also be true when services are offered on-site through substance abuse treatment programs. A study at one methadone clinic that offered hepatitis screening and vaccination revealed that although the majority of clients completed screening , only 54.7 percent of clients who lacked for hepatitis A received vaccinations and only 2.9 percent of clients who lacked immunity for received vaccinations .

The Consensus Panel makes the following general recommendations while recognizing that, in some programs, the counselors role may be limited:

What Does The Test Measure

An acute viral hepatitis panel includes several tests that measure antigens and antibodies. Antigens are foreign substances such as proteins of the virus itself, while antibodies are substances produced by the immune system in response to the viral infection.

An acute viral hepatitis panel tests for antigens and/or antibodies of hepatitis A, B, and C:

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Addressing Hepatitis For The First Time

It is crucial that a treatment counselor or health professional use a nonjudgmental and compassionate tone. Clients need to feel comfortable disclosing information about their health and risky behaviors. The following strategies can help initiate the conversation:

• Display posters, literature, or other -related items that could help prompt the client to ask questions about hepatitis. .
• Assess clients ability to discuss , based on their degree of openness in the counseling session, the amount of detail they provide in their responses, and the length of the therapeutic relationship.
• Raise the subject in a way that avoids making clients feel defensive or afraid. Consider introducing the subject by making parallels with other conditions that have been discussed. Say, for example, You said you were tested for HIV several times. Were you ever tested for viral ? or You mentioned that your friend is sick with HIV. Have you been tested for HCV or HIV? Tell me about those tests.
• Be patient and allow time for multiple, short conversations about the subject. This might ease feelings of fear, anxiety, or shame.

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Hepatitis B Surface Antigen With Reflex Confirmati

The Hepatitis B Surface Antigen with Reflex Confirmati test contains 1 test with 2 biomarkers.

Description: The hepatitis B Surface antigen test is a blood test that checks for hepatitis b antigen in your bloods serum. If hepatitis B antigen is detected, confirmation testing will be performed.

Also Known As: Hep B Test, HBsAg Test, Hepatitis B Antigen Test, HBV Test, HBV Surface Antigen Test

Collection Method: Blood Draw

Specimen Type: Serum

Test Preparation: No preparation required

IMPORTANT: NOTE THIS IS A REFLUX TEST – The price charged for this test is only for the Hepatitis B Surface Antigen. ADDITIONAL CHARGE OF $39 WILL OCCUR FOR THE REFLUX CONFIRMATION if the Hepatitis B Surface Antigen is positive.

When is a Hepatitis B Surface Antigen test ordered?

When someone develops signs and symptoms of acute hepatitis, hepatitis B tests may be conducted to see if they are caused by HBV infection.

When standard test findings such as ALT and/or AST are elevated, hepatitis B testing may be ordered as a follow-up. Acute varieties of hepatitis can sometimes be diagnosed this way since they only generate minor symptoms that are easily confused with the flu. Chronic hepatitis is more typically diagnosed when routine test results are abnormal and has no symptoms.

When someone falls into one of the high risk categories for chronic hepatitis B, a test for hepatitis B surface antigen may be utilized for screening.

What does a Hepatitis B Surface Antigen blood test check for?

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Questions For Your Doctor About Test Results

The following questions about the results of an acute viral antibody panel may be helpful to review with a doctor:

• What tests were included in this panel?
• What was my test result?
• Do I have a hepatitis infection, and if so, which type?
• Would I benefit from hepatitis vaccination?
• Do I need any follow-up tests based on my test result?

What Do The Results Mean

Labs report hepatitis panel results in different ways:

• A negative or normal result means you probably don’t have a hepatitis infection.
• A positive or abnormal result may mean you have a hepatitis infection now or had an infection in the past.

For hepatitis A and B, your test results will say whether you have a current or past infection, or if you have immunity because you had a vaccination.

If your test shows that you have signs of hepatitis C, you will need another test to find out if you are infected now, or if you had an infection in the past. There is no vaccination for hepatitis C.

You may need more tests to confirm a diagnosis and to see how hepatitis has affected your liver. If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.

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

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Understanding Of Lab Tests Results

Please visit the page about Acute Viral Hepatitis Panel on the site associated with The American Association for Clinical Chemistry for better understanding of tests. There you will find the most detailed and full information regarding lab tests. In common questions tab you will find answers on the most common questions.

In addition, you can use a special form to ask the question. It is useful, if there is no answer on your question on the web site. A laboratory scientist will answer your question. It is a part of voluntary service provided by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

Preparing Clients For Screening

Once clients are comfortable talking about viral , they might be more willing to undergo screening. However, clients might be anxious about the test itself a reassurance that testing is a simple procedure can help allay these concerns. Many substance use treatment facilities do not offer screening, and clients might need to be referred elsewhere. The following strategies can enhance the discussion of the hepatitis screening process and hepatitis prevention:

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When Is It Ordered

An acute viral hepatitis panel may be ordered when a person has had blood tests done as part of a health checkup that show abnormal results on liver tests or when someone has acute symptoms associated with liver damage, such as:

The acute viral hepatitis panel may sometimes be used to screen people when they are at an increased risk for hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection or when it is known that they have been exposed. Below are listed some examples of who may be screened using the panel:

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