Preferred Specimen(s) 1 mL serum
Transport Container Plastic screw-cap vial
Transport Temperature
- Refrigerated 7 days,
- -20oC 4 weeks
Reject Criteria
- Gross hemolysis
- Gross lipemia
Methodology Chemiluminescence
Clinical Significance Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is the major cause of hepatitis. Approximately 1% of blood donors are seropositive for anti-HCV. The clinical symptoms of a HCV infection are variable. Exposure to HCV results in a chronic infection in 50 to 80% of cases. The “window” between infection and seroreactivity is highly variable, up to 12 months.