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Hepatitis Panel

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What is a hepatitis panel?

Hepatitis is a type of liver disease. Viruses called hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are the most common causes of hepatitis. A hepatitis panel is a blood test that checks to see if you have a hepatitis infection caused by one of these viruses.

The viruses are spread in different ways and cause different symptoms:

  • Hepatitis A is most often spread by contact with contaminated faeces (stool) or by eating tainted food. Though uncommon, it can also be spread through sexual contact with an infected person. Most people recover from hepatitis A without any lasting liver damage.
  • Hepatitis B is spread through contact with infected blood, semen, or other bodily fluids. Some people recover quickly from a hepatitis B infection. For others, the virus can cause long-term, chronic liver disease.
  • Hepatitis C is most often spread by contact with infected blood, usually through the sharing of hypodermic needles. Though uncommon, it can also be spread through sexual contact with an infected person. Many people with hepatitis C develop chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.

A hepatitis panel includes tests for hepatitis antibodies and antigens. Antibodies are proteins that the immune system produces to help fight infections. Antigens are substances that cause an immune response. Antibodies and antigens can be detected before symptoms appear.

Other names: acute hepatitis panel, viral hepatitis panel, hepatitis screening panel

What is it used for?

A hepatitis panel is used to find out if you have a hepatitis virus infection.

Why do I need a hepatitis panel?

You may need a hepatitis panel if you have symptoms of liver damage. These symptoms include:

  • Jaundice, a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dark-coloured urine
  • Pale-coloured stool
  • Nausea and vomiting

You may also need a hepatitis panel if you have certain risk factors. You may be at a higher risk for a hepatitis infection if you:

  • Use illegal, injectable drugs
  • Have a sexually transmitted disease
  • Are in close contact with someone infected with hepatitis
  • Are on long-term dialysis
  • Were born between 1945 and 1965, often referred to as the baby boom years. Though the reasons aren’t entirely understood, baby boomers are 5 times more likely to have hepatitis C than other adults.
See also  Pap Smear

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.

You may also be able to use an at-home kit to test for hepatitis. While instructions may vary between brands, your kit will include a device to prick your finger (lancet). You’ll use this device to collect a drop of blood for testing. For more information on at-home testing for hepatitis, talk to your health care provider.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?

You don’t need any special preparations for a hepatitis panel.

Are there any risks to the test?

There is very little risk of having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruise at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.

What do the results mean?

A negative result means you probably don’t have a hepatitis infection. A positive result may mean you have or previously had an infection from hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. You may need more tests to confirm a diagnosis. If you have questions about your results, talk to your health care provider.

Is there anything else I need to know about a hepatitis panel?

There are vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Talk to your health care provider to see if you or your children should get vaccinated.

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; The ABCs of Hepatitis [updated 2016; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 6 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/resources/professionals/pdfs/abctable.pdf
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Hepatitis C: Why People Born Between 1945 and 1965 Should Get Tested; [updated 2016; cited 2017 Aug 1]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/knowmorehepatitis/media/pdfs/factsheet-boomers.pdf
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis A [updated 2015 Aug 27; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/index.htm
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis B [updated 2015 May 31; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/index.htm
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis C [updated 2015 May 31; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/index.htm
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis Testing Day [updated 2017 Apr 26; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/testingday/index.htm
  7. FDA: US Food and Drug Administration [Internet]. Silver Spring (MD): US Department of Health and Human Services; Home Use Tests: Hepatitis C; [cited 2019 Jun 4]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/home-use-tests/hepatitis-c
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  12. National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: antigen [cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?search=antigen
  13. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; What Are the Risks of Blood Tests? [updated 2012 Jan 6; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests#Risk-Factors
  14. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; What To Expect with Blood Tests [updated 2012 Jan 6; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests
  15. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Hepatitis [cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/hepatitis
  16. National Institute of Drug Abuse [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Viral Hepatitis–A Very Real Consequence of Substance Use [updated 2017 Mar; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/viral-hepatitis-very-real-consequence-substance-use
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  18. NorthShore University Health System [Internet]. NorthShore University Health System; c2017. Hepatitis B Virus Tests [updated 2017 Mar 3; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.northshore.org/healthresources/encyclopedia/encyclopedia.aspx?DocumentHwid=hw201572#hw201575
  19. Peeling RW, Boeras DI, Marinucci F, Easterbrook P. The future of viral hepatitis testing: innovations in testing technologies and approaches. BMC Infect Dis [Internet]. 2017 Nov [cited 2019 Jun 4]; 17 (Suppl 1):699. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5688478
  20. UF Health: University of Florida Health [Internet]. University of Florida; c2017. Hepatitis Virus Panel: Overview [updated 2017 May 31; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://ufhealth.org/hepatitis-virus-panel
  21. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2017. Health Encyclopedia: Hepatitis Panel [cited 2017 May 31]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid;=hepatitis_panel
  22. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health; c2017. Health Information: Hepatitis Panel [updated 2016 Oct 14; cited 2017 May 31]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: http://www.uwhealth.org/health/topic/special/hepatitis-panel/tr6161.html
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