Hepatitis C Management

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Question:

I have a patient with a positive antibody for hepatitis C. Should I refer him for treatment?

It is possible that your patient was exposed to the hepatitis C virus but was lucky enough to clear it and not develop a chronic infection. Order a qualitative test for hepatitis C RNA. If it is negative and your patient has normal liver enzymes and no evidence of liver disease, you can continue to monitor the patient in your practice. If the RNA is positive or if there are any indications of liver disease, you should refer the patient to a hepatologist for further evaluation and treatment.

For more information, see the Testing for Possible, Suspected, or Documented Infection in the Hepatitis C monograph.

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