What is HCV PCR?

HCV PCR: HCV PCR ( polymerase chain reaction) is a test for the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

There are three types of HCV PCR tests:

The three different HCV PCR tests serve different purposes. The qualitative test is done to confirm the presence of HCV in the blood of a person with positive HCV antibody test. The quantitative test is done to monitor the effectiveness of that treatment. The genotype test is usually done before the start of treatment because it can differentiate each of the major subtypes of HCV. Knowing the subtype can be important because, for example, treatment with interferon is more often effective for people with genotype subtypes 2 or 3 than for those with genotype 1.

See also : PCR RT-PCR.