Positive result of test

 A positive result shows that the person has been exposed to the hepatitis C virus and their immune system has responded by producing antibodies. This may mean that the patient is a carrier of the hepatitis C virus. Alternatively, the patient may have recently cleared an HCV infection and still have antibodies in their blood. Further tests will be conducted to find out whether the patient has a current infection. A specialist will carry out a blood test that looks for the genetic material of the hepatitis C virus itself instead of the antibodies. This test will identify whether the virus is still present. The patient has successfully cleared the virus.