Hepatitis C Card Method Test

The hepatitis C infection is detected by identifying anti-HCV antibodies in the blood. It is usually done by an EIA method, which is tedious and time-consuming. The rapid C Card anti-HCV test is a simple, visual qualitative test which will detect the antibodies in human serum or plasma. This test can give a result within 15 minutes and is based on immunochromatography. This test is used for the qualitative detection of antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in Human Serum or Plasma. It is a Rapid Anti-HCV Test which is Colloidal Gold enhanced, rapid Immunochromatographic Assay.

Wear a half-sleeved shirt on as full-sleeved shirt might pose difficulty in pulling up the sleeves. Do not wear sweater or jacket. No special preparation is required for this test and you can continue any medication that you are taking by informing your doctor. If your blood sample is needed for other tests then fasting may be required in some cases. Please kindly follow the instructions given by the lab.

This is a screening test which indicates the earliest onset of acute Hepatitis C infection. The result is either negative or positive. A positive result indicates the onset of early infection.

About 1 ml or just 2 teaspoons of the blood sample will be drawn from your body. This test needs to be conducted in a well-equipped diagnostic lab or medical centre with Hepatitis C Card test facility. The skin is cleaned with an alcohol pad. In the next step, the needle will be inserted into the body through the vein which is easily visible over the cleaned skin. The blood sample will be collected through the tube attached to the needle which contains the serum gel. The tube is separated from the needle and closed with a lid and with the patient’s name on it. The blood sample tube is shaken down to remove serum from the clot and then it is sent to the research laboratory for examination.